Mitutoyo 500-196-30 Advanced Onsite Sensor (AOS) Absolute Scale Digital Caliper, 0 to 6/0 to 150mm Measuring Range, 0.0005/0.01mm Resolution, LCD

A bit disappointed. I bought an iGaging caliper that works just as well and accurate (100 700 06) as the Mitutoyo. Im not complaining about the caliper but I am complaining about the protective case the Mitutoyo comes in. iGagings cases are much better and I am disappointed with the Mitutoyo case hinge, it looks like a razor knife cut right on the hinge and will break loose in short time. I called MSI viking the seller and they have no record of my purchase through Amazon, therefore they will not send me an undamaged case under warranty. I will be calling Amazon customer service and tell them that I am not happy and may request a return and credit. All I really want is a new case thats not damaged, at the price you pay for a Mitutoyo I would expect more than less and would appreciate service. I only decided to buy from Amazon and the MSI viking vendor since there are so many counterfeit Mitutoyos being sold online and that MSI Viking is a Mitutoyo distributor. I am updating my review. I got a response and MSI-Viking sent me a new storage box and replaced the defective one. Somehow the original order was not in their (MSI-Viking) data base due to my purchase through Amazon. Im happy and pleased. many times after the sale you get no response from the seller. I was vey hesitant about buying a Mitutoyo caliper since there are so many counterfeits sold as the real thing and some at even a higher price. I did contact Mitutoyo for a list of authorized distributors and I do urge that if you buy from Amazon or E-Bay to only buy from an authorized distributor such as MSI-Viking. MSI-Viking is an authorized distributor for Mitutoyo, Starrett, Browne and Sharpe, and Mahr Federal. I assure you they are the real McCoy. Hope this review helps you make your choice. I highly recommend that you contact them and save on the shipping with Amazon Prime.

Its already a given that Mitutoyo is of the highest quality right alongside Starrett. So much so that the USA is getting flooded with overseas knock offs of the Mitutoyo Calipers. Amazon and a few other reputable Mitutoyo sellers are your safest place to buy them. But steer clear of eBay! There is about a dozen YouTube videos as of this writing, that can help you to verify if yours is genuine I was happy to determine that the one I purchased here on Amazon is indeed Authentic. Be careful out there, otherwise you could end up paying well over $100 dollars for a $10 dollar knock off.

No comparison to the cheap calipers.

What is there to say? Mitutoyo is the gold standard. This was my first caliper, and I immediately checked its accuracy (perfect within the limits of what I can check). Ease of use is excellent: measuring inside, outside, or depth; metric or imperial; absolute or relative. The case is rugged and convenient. Unlike other calipers, this one doesnt devour batteries (solar obviously doesnt use batteries at all but does require that it sit out in strong light and is considerably more expensive). BE SURE TO BUY FROM AMAZON. Do NOT buy from a third party through Amazon. There are simply too many counterfeits floating around. Amazon is an authorized dealer and so your caliper will be genuine (other reviews on here will help you ensure authenticity when it arrives). This was the best deal I could find from a legit source. There are purists who want dial or vernier, and thats fine, but for a first caliper you want something that does imperial and metric and is a no-brainer to operate. My only critique is that Amazon doesnt make it easy to find genuine accessories. In my case, the shoulders for depth measurements. There are other very reputable brands out there, but for this product Mitutoyo is the default unless you have some compelling reason to grab something else.

Constructed to last. Good accuracy

I have been buying calipers for several years and never this satisfied. Of course all others most likely were chinesiums. Some, I purchased and was very happy for a few days, weeks, months. Battery died within 6 months. I thought that was the norm, so I purchased a dozen batteries to keep as needed. But lately Ive done some research and decided to spend some hard earned money into this caliper and I am very happy. I also purchased one at half price on ebay 2 days ago, but had to cancel the transaction before the seller could ship. I first asked the ebay seller if this was genuine and made in japan, to which he said yes and yes. However, after watching several youtube videos, doing some more research and contacting the company, I asked this seller to please cancel the transaction before shipping it, which he did and I got my refund last night. This morning at 7.45am, I received this new one from Amazon and I was super excited to open it and see if all what I heard and saw was true. This of course feels terrific as was noticed by others. But feeling is not the purpose of this caliper. It sure does not even flicker the numbers like my others did. The numbers on the screen are distinct, and repeatable. All features are on point. I measured several items, inclding paper thickness of various papers. All measurements repeat exact same. I then proceeded to do the ampere testing with my Fluke multimeter. Sure enough, the usage drops considerably when off, not like the others that use almost the same current whether on or off, thus explaining why their batteries die so soon. Bottom line, although I spent a lot more money than the other calipers on this one, am I satisfied? Yes. No regrets at all for the first time, on a caliper purchase.

accurate but battery cap comes off too easy

This caliper works better than any I currently use.

the best in measuring

I read a number of reviews that said other cheaper brands were just as good and there was no reason to pay more for a Mitutoyo. Bought the Mitutoyo and an iGuaging to compare. While they both may be accurate, the Mitutoyo has significantly better fit and finish, sturdiness, etc. Everything about it feels quality. Kept the Mitutoyo and the iGuaging went back.