By Hunters for Hunters

Stefan Reiser, hunter and senior scientist at ZEISS

"A hunter must be absolutely sure that a shot goes where it’s supposed to go. This means precision is enormously important, and not only in the lab."

Some turn their hobby into their profession, while others discover a previously undiscovered passion. Stefan Reiser discovered his love of hunting four years ago while working at ZEISS. Today, the senior scientist for laboratory and application technology particularly appreciates the rare silence of nature in the quiet morning and evening hours. Whether it’s time for reflection when up in the raised hide or sharpening his senses when out stalking – when asked what particularly excites him about hunting, Stefan can’t decide off the top of his head. Even after almost 25 years at ZEISS, conversations with (hunting) colleagues show him time and again how important it is to have equipment that functions perfectly and is precise, thanks to extensive testing.

Our products have to be up to snuff to stand a chance out on the hunt."

Our products have to be up to snuff to stand a chance out on the hunt."

Our products have to be up to snuff to stand a chance out on the hunt."

Reliable under the toughest conditions – thanks to the most demanding tests in the laboratory and the hunting ground

When out on a hunt, your equipment has to function absolutely reliably and precisely. Stefan knows this not only as a senior scientist in the lab, but also as a hunter in the woods. If heavy rain sets in when out on the hunt, there’s usually only one thing to do: hang in there! The ability of your optical devices to withstand the rain should be the least of your worries at this point. In the lab, the devices are subjected to the harshest conditions within the shortest possible time to guarantee that they will last over a complete life cycle. This ensures that even after numerous falls or bumpy rides in the trunk, you can still always rely on the optics.

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Unparalleled optical performance is the hallmark of our thermal imaging products. An accurate and detailed image makes all the difference when hunting at night."

Exceptional image quality – thanks to components designed to work perfectly together

ZEISS products not only have to withstand demanding environmental tests. ZEISS thermal imaging products’ exceptional image quality plays a critical role. This is where Stefan benefits from almost 25 years of experience at ZEISS – because when it comes to images and imaging performance, ZEISS has always set new standards. To achieve unparalleled image quality, all of a thermal imaging device’s components – the lens, sensor, display, eyepiece, and algorithm – must work together perfectly. And the devices’ optical quality isn’t only assessed in the daylight, but also in real-world situations during a hunt. If unwanted reflections or stray light initially go unnoticed, he’ll be able to spot them immediately at the very latest when up in the raised hide.

Ultimately, the goal is to create a ZEISS product that can withstand all the demands!"

The focusing knob: now even smoother and more precise thanks to a continuous development process

Stefan’s work also includes testing out competitors’ products – not only as a senior scientist at ZEISS in the lab, but also as a hunter directly in the field. In this context, Stefan works very closely with Category Management and other colleagues from Development to define potential improvements and then incorporate the ideas into the development of new ZEISS products. After all, sometimes the smallest details make all the difference. For example, this led to the focusing knob on the first ZEISS DTC 3 thermal imaging clip-on being improved during the development process to make it even smoother at all temperatures and even more precise without backlash.

View ZEISS DTC 3

Precision is absolutely critical to an ethical hunt. When you start to bend your finger, you’re totally dependent on the equipment – and that’s always a top priority for us in the lab."

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