Carl Zeiss Guide
This guide is in response to the number of fake or non-genuine
Carl Zeiss binoculars being sold on E-bay.
It applies mainly to the Zeiss Jenoptem 8x30 or 10x50 binoculars
and on rare occasions to the 7x50. These were sold mainly from mail
order catalogues in Britain in the late 70s to early 80s. Wether
they were contracted out by Zeiss to Japanese makers or just fakes
is difficult to ascertain today. Main point is they are very
inferior to the German made article and do not survive constant
use.
If the bino is a Jenoptem in the above sizes and has a six
figure serial number it is not German made. Equally if it has any
letters in the serial number it is a fake. Genuine binos always
have a seven figure serial number. The focusing wheel will be black
plastic and has a ring impressed into the front. Genuine article is
metal, smaller and usually has minor paint loss. Smooth paint and a
rubbery feel are on the fakes. German article has dappled paint and
a slightly slippery feel. Fakes are always marked as multicoated.
On the real thing the screw on the top plate is right beside the
'D' of Multicoated, on the fake it is about three-quarters of an
inch away. All will have 'DDR' or 'Made in DDR' somewhere on the
genuine binos. That means they were made in the old East Germany.
If there is the legend 8.2 Degrees or similar on the plates of the
objective end (lower) and an initial, often 'K' they are fakes.
Focusing on my Genuine Zeiss binos bought from the late Vic
Odden in 1978 for 58 is a dream. On fakes which I owned by accident
until I got to know better focusing was sticky, tightish and
certainly never smooth. What is worse, I have seen two examples
where the spiral on which the focusing wheel turns actually snapped
and the bino was useless
There are other differences but there is enough information here
for you to identify the fakes. Have they any good points? Optically
they are not bad and they will take a few knocks without going out
of alignment. They are just another Jap bino and they are certainly
not worth the money some people are paying for them. Most have
impressed lettering but on a very few it is stencilled.
If you are buying Jenoptems in the above sizes make sure you
know the serial number and if it has 'DDR' somewhere on it. Be wary
of vague or blatently dishonest sellers. Most know exactly what
they have. Persevere and get the the genuine article. They are the
best value binos on E-bay today.
Monday, 3 January 2011Carl Zeiss Jena DDR Binoculars and How To
Date Them.
My link to Carl Zeiss West German Porro Prism Binoculars and
dating
them.http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/carl-zeiss-west-german-binoculars-and.html
Also more links dating Carl Zeiss 'West German' Dialyt's at the
foot of this page.Click on any of my photos to enlarge!Binoculars
for Sale.Incidentally, if anyone wishes to advertise for sale any
of their binoculars on any of my blogs, they have my permission to
do so simply by advertising in the www.Binocularsexplained.com Post
a Comment section below. I will not however accept any
liability.
You can date Zeiss Jena Binoculars by their seven digit serial
numbers. The preceding year of serial numbers continue up until the
next date. So, if your serial number is higher than the date
opposite, your binocular will be the next date up!(Date/Year)
(Serial Numbers)(1894) 205.
(1895) 1476.
(1896) 4251.
(1897) 8412.
(1898) 13838.
(1899) 21370.(1900) 30658.
(1901) 40156.
(1902) 48491.
(1903) 58446.
(1904) 71724.
(1905) 89422.
(1906) 107576.
(1907) 124727.
(1908) 147707.
(1909) 181759.
(1910) 218120.
(1911) 261737.
(1912) 314098.
(1913) 366268.
(1914) 432900.
(1915) 547521.
(1916) 639799.
(1917) 792232.
(1918) 990786.
(1919) 1051870.
(1920) 1089848.
(1921) 1128929.
(1922) 1176911.
(1923) 1209242.
(1924) 1236681.
(1925) 1294010.
(1926) 1334471.
(1927) 1380999.
(1928) 1442819.
(1929) 1493979.
(1930) 1543439.
(1931) 1579184.
(1932) 1607007.
(1933) 1628868.
(1934) 1660396.
(1935) 1705441.
(1936) 1751204.
(1937) 1801967.
(1938) 1865276.
(1939) 1935538.
(1940) 2017171.
(1941) 2105419.
(1942) 2167993.
(1943) 2228256.
(1944) 2293770.
(1945) 2348412.
(1946) 2398397.
(1947) 2408116.
(1948) 2408116.
Post WWII Carl Zeiss Jena binocular production had moved from
Jena to Eisfeld by 1956. My links to daing Carl Zeiss "West German"
Binoculars at the bottom of this page.(Year) (Serial numbers)(1949)
2424280.Up until following year:(1950) 2447960.(1951)
2486465.(1952) 2539205.(1953) 2630255.
(1954) 2707680.
(1955) 2772726.
(1956) 2830702.
(1957) 2914031.
(1958) 2977102.
(1959) 3033101.
(1960) 3090501.
(1961) 3149501.
(1962) 3246001.
(1963) 3314001.
(1964) 3400001.
(1965) 3417501.
(1966) 3474501.
(1967) 3481101.
(1968) 3541701.
(1969) 3640111.
(1970) 3794411.
(1971) 3882562.
(1972) 3976162.
(1973) 4046362.
(1974) 4211322.
(1975) 4339912.
(1976) 4489512.
(1977) 4667512.
(1978) Multi-coatings introduced. 4820812.
(1979) 4985612.
(1980) 5456932.
(1981) 5661332.
(1982) 5672732.
(1983) 6046032.
(1984) 6068032.
(1985) 6289001.
(1986) 6447042.
(1987) 6637173.
(1988) 6897473.
(1989) 7053473.
(1990) 7241173.
(1991) 7246633.
End of production.
Link to my article on Zeiss Jena Jenoptems, also an early Zeiss
copy!To date, I have only ever found 8x30 and 10x50 Zeiss Jena
copies and all had only six digit Serial numbers!Both Multi-coated
lenses and without.
http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2010/12/carl-zeiss-8x30w-jena-jenoptem.html
I know the Zeiss Jena's prior to 1919 above have less than seven
digit serial numbers but, I'm only refering to the ones made after
the War.
Carl Zeiss JenaBinoculars for Sale.Incidentally, if anyone
wishes to advertise for sale any of their binoculars on any of my
blogs, they have my permission to do so simply by advertising in
the www.Binocularsexplained.com Post a Comment section below. I
will not however accept any liability.
Binoculars Explained first page
link:http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2010/12/welcome-to-binoculars-explained.html
Link to my more recent 2012 Carl Zeiss ''West German'' Porro
Prism Binoculars and dating
them.http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/carl-zeiss-west-german-binoculars-and.html
Link to my more recent 2012 Zeiss West German Dialyt 10x40
Binoculars and dating
them.http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/carl-zeiss-10-x-40-dialyt-and-how-to.html
Link to my more recent 2012 Zeiss West German Dialyt 8x30
Binoculars and dating
them.http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/carl-zeiss-8x30-dialyt-and-how-to-date.html
Link to my more recent 2012 Zeiss West German Dialyt 7x42
Binoculars and dating
them.http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/zeiss-7x42-b-dialyt-and-how-to-date.html
Link to my more recent 2012 Zeiss West German Dialyt 8x56
Binoculars and dating
them.http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/zeiss-8x56-b-dialyt-and-how-to-date.html
I intend to add more to these lists in the near future.I hope
they will help you!Old Zeiss binoculars are like Volkswagen's, they
hold their money!A Great investment for the future.Binoculars for
Sale.Advertise your Binoculars for sale in the
www.Binocularsexplained.com Post a Comment section below. I will
not however accept any liability.