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                          [KATTEN MUCHIN & ZAVIS LETTERHEAD]


                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                                 September 16, 1998



Zebra Technologies Corporation
333 Corporate Woods Parkway
Vernon Hills, IL 60061-3109

     Re:  Registration Statement on Form S-4
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Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel for Zebra Technologies Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation and filing of a
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
The Registration Statement relates to 7,323,655 shares of the Company's Class B
Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the "Class B Shares") and 7,323,655
shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the
"Class A Shares") issuable upon conversion of the Class B Shares (the Class A
Shares and the Class B Shares collectively, the "Common Stock") issuable by the
Company upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Agreement
and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 9, 1998, by and among the Company, Spruce
Acquisition Corp. and Eltron International, Inc. ("Eltron") (the "Merger
Agreement").

     In connection with this opinion, we have relied as to matters of fact,
without investigation, upon certificates of public officials and others and upon
affidavits, certificates and written statements of directors, officers and
employees of, and the accountants for, the Company.  We have also examined
originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of
such instruments, documents and records as we have deemed relevant and necessary
to examine for the purpose of this opinion, including (a) the Registration
Statement, (b) the Amended Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, (c) the
By-laws of the Company, (d) the Merger Agreement and (e) resolutions adopted by
the Board of Directors of the Company.
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Zebra Technologies Corporation
September 16, 1998
Page 2


     In connection with this opinion, we have assumed the accuracy and
completeness of all documents and records that we have reviewed, the genuineness
of all signatures, the due authority of the parties signing such documents, the
authenticity of the documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to
authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified,
conformed or reproduced copies.

     Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that the
7,323,655 Class B Shares and the 7,323,655 Class A Shares, issuable on
conversion of the Class B Shares, covered by the Registration Statement, when
issued and exchanged for the Eltron Common Stock by the Company in accordance
with the provisions of the Merger Agreement, will be legally issued, fully paid
and non-assessable shares of Common Stock.


     Our opinion expressed above is limited to the General Corporation Law 
and case law of the State of Delaware, and we do not express any opinion 
concerning any other laws.  This opinion is given as of the date hereof and 
we assume no obligation to advise you of changes that may hereafter be 
brought to our attention.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the
Registration Statement.

                              Very truly yours,



                              /s/ Katten Muchin & Zavis
                              --------------------------------------
                              KATTEN MUCHIN & ZAVIS
