The Future of ZEISS Hunting & Nature:

ZEISS announces innovative plans for Hunting, Birding and Nature Observation

Oberkochen, Germany | 5 Juny 2025 | ZEISS Photonics & Optics

At ZEISS, we are committed to innovation, precision, and the creation of products that impress hunters, birders and anyone who appreciates exceptional equipment for nature observation. For 150 years, we have been shaping the market for hunting and nature observation and continuously developing new products and technologies.

Our plans include new and exciting developments which rely on improvements to our strategies and processes. For this reason, we have taken the decision to phase out production of optics at our manufacturing site in Wetzlar, Germany, allowing us to focus on delivering products and services for the future of the hunting and nature sectors.

Our industry is undergoing a permanent shift towards digital optics, with an increasing significance of trail cameras in the market, while analogue optics will maintain a stable share in the premium and mid-range segments. Innovation in all relevant segments is at the core of our strategy. We will continue to support the success of our customers with ZEISS products and offerings, providing a unique experience for hunting and nature enthusiasts worldwide.

Are we and will we remain passionately committed to Hunting & Nature? Yes. Our plans aim to strengthen ZEISS's position in relevant market segments. In the future, we will continue to invest in the markets for hunting, birding, and nature observation, and expand our portfolio with innovative offerings.

Since 2023, following the acquisition of Ventrade GmbH, we have successfully built the new segment with ZEISS trail cameras, including an app and community. In close collaboration with partners and retailers, we have given fresh impetus to this segment in Europe and are experiencing strong, dynamic growth here. The binocular series Conquest and SFL have been renewed and launched with enhanced performance in 2024/25. These are just selected examples of our ongoing commitment.

We will continue the production of analogue premium optics in Wetzlar in the usual manner until the end of 2026. Service, logistics, and quality management will remain at our Wetzlar location going forward. ZEISS products will continue to be available, and we are working on the continuous renewal of our product portfolio.

And in the future, we will continue to ensure the high ZEISS quality for all products through close collaboration with our supplier network. Our focus, as with other ZEISS products, is on innovation, investment in research, development, design, concept, and marketing, as well as quality assurance and service. This will not change the optical quality and the uniqueness of ZEISS products as you know them.

We are excited for this new stage and focus, which will allow ZEISS even more opportunities for product innovation for our audience.

As usual, we will keep you updated with news and new products directly through our newsroom.
 

Press Contact

Joachim Kuss
ZEISS Photonics & Optics
Phone: +49 7364 20 439 28
joachim .kuss @zeiss .com

About ZEISS

ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. In the previous fiscal year, the ZEISS Group generated annual revenue totaling 10 billion euros in its four segments Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology and Consumer Markets (status: 30 September 2023).

For its customers, ZEISS develops, produces and distributes highly innovative solutions for industrial metrology and quality assurance, microscopy solutions for the life sciences and materials research, and medical technology solutions for diagnostics and treatment in ophthalmology and microsurgery. The name ZEISS is also synonymous with the world's leading lithography optics, which are used by the chip industry to manufacture semiconductor components. There is global demand for trendsetting ZEISS brand products such as eyeglass lenses, camera lenses and binoculars.

With a portfolio aligned with future growth areas like digitalization, healthcare and Smart Production and a strong brand, ZEISS is shaping the future of technology and constantly advancing the world of optics and related fields with its solutions. The company's significant, sustainable investments in research and development lay the foundation for the success and continued expansion of ZEISS' technology and market leadership. ZEISS invests 15 percent of its revenue in research and development – this high level of expenditure has a long tradition at ZEISS and is also an investment in the future.

With around 43,000 employees, ZEISS is active globally in almost 50 countries with around 30 production sites, 60 sales and service companies and 27 research and development facilities (status: 30 September 2023). Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. The Carl Zeiss Foundation, one of the largest foundations in Germany committed to the promotion of science, is the sole owner of the holding company, Carl Zeiss AG.

Further information at www.zeiss.com

ZEISS Consumer Products

ZEISS Consumer Products combines the company's business with camera and cine lenses, binoculars, spotting scopes and hunting optics. The unit is allocated to the Consumer Markets segment and is based in Oberkochen and represented across the globe.

Press Contact

Joachim Kuss
ZEISS Photonics & Optics
Phone: +49 7364 20 439 28
joachim .kuss @zeiss .com

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