• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Bin Identification (2 Viewers)

Not to complicate matters, but afaik there is/was a thriving business creating fake CZJ style binoculars, externally indistinguishable from the originals.

Hi,

yes indeed there is CZJ fakes around although not quite at the level of externally indistinguishable... after all even a very good multicoated "normal" CZJ (that is excluding rarities like Nobilems, Big Bins and the like) will go under 300€.

So no, we're not talking about near perfect Daytona or Moonwatch fakes here that can fool specialists...

BF member and well known optics specialist Holger Merlitz has a page on CZJ fakes and how to spot them - see

http://www.holgermerlitz.de/jenoptem.html

As far as we can see this example, it doesn't ring a bell in my opinion.

Joachim
 
Jenautic is a new CZJ model for me and I am not confident that this is really a CZJ product.
The serial number indicates a 1980 production item. The DDR did not have much humor, so a nautical model without waterproofing would have been hard for the hierarchy to approve.
I'll hope to hear definitively from real experts such as Holger.
 
Czj

Jenautic is a new CZJ model for me and I am not confident that this is really a CZJ product.
The serial number indicates a 1980 production item. The DDR did not have much humor, so a nautical model without waterproofing would have been hard for the hierarchy to approve.
I'll hope to hear definitively from real experts such as Holger.

:t:

Andy W.
 
So, it looks like this binocular is not a true Zeiss, but a fake, fraud as they never did sell this
model, Jenautic, it does not exist except in the fake area.

This is a good one for discussion.

Jerry
 
So, it looks like this binocular is not a true Zeiss, but a fake, fraud as they never did sell this
model, Jenautic, it does not exist except in the fake area.

This is a good one for discussion.

Jerry

Well, it gets more complicated, because apparently CZJ did sell technology and designs to Asian manufacturers, so there were knock offs that look pretty real and consequently were easy to give Zeiss labels to.
The Jenoptem name came into being after Zeiss West Germany was able to persuade the courts that Zeiss East Germany could not use the Zeiss name for its products, but there was a correspondingly somewhat looser hand on the Jenoptem items. This may be one such 'innovation'.
 
The strap and studs look Japanese to me, but could come from anywhere. Korea maybe?

Does the binocular have a case or paperwork that could provide further clues?
 
Jenautic is a new CZJ model for me and I am not confident that this is really a CZJ product.
The serial number indicates a 1980 production item. The DDR did not have much humor, so a nautical model without waterproofing would have been hard for the hierarchy to approve.
I'll hope to hear definitively from real experts such as Holger.

Hi,

I agree with that argument - while there's quite a few examples of Jenautics to be found in the usual market places, I haven't heard of it or seen it mentioned anywhere besides sale offers.

Also they indeed had a 7x50 Marine offering with IF called Binoctar. See the following link - once again thanks to Holger:

http://www.holgermerlitz.de/czj_85/page21.jpg

But looking at the 2nd image, I don't see anything wrong beside the right prism cover, which certainly didn't leave the Jena factory in that state. It also looks like it's smoother than the left one - or is that the light?
Left prism cover texture, screw position and logo look good, DDR on IPD setting and the scale too, eyepieces with orange multicoatings as they should be for a pair from 1980.

Also is there any chance to get a closup shot into an objective tube so we can see the insides?

Joachim
 
Last edited:
The right prism cover and lettering especially JENAUTIC look fishy to me. :)

There are quite a few fake cameras that come from Poland, and the vendors freely admit that they are fakes.
 
Last edited:
View attachment 686624

Well some of you were right!

Is this bin any good?

A hit from a Google search on string <zeiss jenautic> is suggestive that it might be. It yields a hands-on review by an owner.


Stephen

http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/messages.php?sectionid=21&entryid=116

Subject: ZEISS Jenautic 7X50
By: Siriusly
Date: 08/30/2010 04:49:14 pm PST

'First I'd like to say that the 'Jenautics' are distinctly made by Zeiss-at least the pair I have. The serial number is 5029761 which, if I remember is about 1980. I have examined these thoroughly and they appear to be exactly like the Jenoptems...
There is a good report on how to identify authentic Zeiss binos and how to spot the fakes on Holger Merlitz's site..these are authentic!

The mystery is where did the right prism cover saying 'Jenautic' come from? The left prism cover which says Carl Zeiss Jena in the lens logo is clearly stamped into the metal. On the other side the words 'multi-coated, Jenautic 7X50' is only stenciled on.

I suspect, but can't say for sure, that they were sold by an authorized seller of Zeiss under this different name.

As for the quality, a good friend of mine, whose optical opinion I value, called them the 'best in my collection'...I can not agree they are the 'best' but they are very fine..The milky way in Cygnus is spectacular and the stars appear as a swarm of individual dots....

I would give them a very high rating of 9.5...'



[END]
 
Last edited:
So at least two such glasses, both with serial numbers indicating 1980 production.
Despite the JENAUTIC label on the right prism cover, neither has any elements of a nautical glass.
Maybe a private venture customization by a CZJ retailer?
 
Despite the JENAUTIC label on the right prism cover, neither has any elements of a nautical glass.

7 x 50 was the standard configuration for German, British, Canadian, Japanese, and American navy handheld binoculars during WW II and afterward. Do we know of any 10 x 50 Jenautics?

The neck strap on the posted binocular, by the way, is present on many circa 1980’s CZJ binoculars. The same strap is on two of mine.

I think the binocular is a genuine made in DDR CZJ not a foreign made license built or copy albeit the markings and finish of the right prism plate are atypical and inexplicable.
 
Last edited:
7 x 50 was the standard configuration for German, British, Canadian, Japanese, and American navy handheld binoculars during WW II and afterward. Do we know of any 10 x 50 Jenautics?

The neck strap on the posted binocular, by the way, is present on many circa 1980’s CZJ binoculars. The same strap is on two of mine.

I think the binocular is a genuine made in DDR CZJ not a foreign made license built or copy albeit the markings and finish of the right prism plate are atypical and inexplicable.

I may well be wrong about this but weren't the navy binos all IF? The need to refocus to different distances with a 7x bino on the open sea would be minimal and would allow better waterproofing.

The smooth finish on the right prism plate may be explained by the decision to print/stencil the markings. If CZJ wanted to re-brand some 7x50s for some reason would they really have taken this route with one side of the binos so glaringly at odds with the other?

I am rather taken with the suggestion of a promotion by a dealer / ships chandler from Etudiant.

Lee
 
"I may well be wrong about this but weren't the navy binos all IF? The need to refocus to different distances with a 7x bino on the open sea would be minimal and would allow better waterproofing." - Correct. Also the 7 mm exit pupil was optimal for low light viewing and viewing during movement.

The Jenautic name is more a marketing gimmick than anything else. The only thing nautical about this binocular is the 7 x 50 configuration. Otherwise, the binocular is hardly suitable for maritime use. Not only is it CF but the 1980's Jenoptem/Binoctem models although very good optically for the early '80's (among the first widely sold binocular with multi-coatings) were not very robust - they were not waterproof by any stretch of the imagination (sealings were minimal) and build quality was fragile.
 
Last edited:
Warning! This thread is more than 5 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top