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

This is far superior to my generic one which was constantly turning off and rezeroing itself and also giving me inconsistent readings every time I measured. If you make jewelry or another craft where you need precise measurements this one is worth it. The only thing I needed to get used to was that it doesnt turn off by itself so sometimes I forget and am probably wasting battery life. However, in most cases that is a feature not a bug (meaning its not always turning itself off in between measurements). In addition, if the jaws are left open and you turn it off, when you turn it on it still gives you a measurement of where you left off, it doesnt just zero off from that spot. You can press the TAR button for that giving you much more control and saving time. Once in a while it gets unzeroed by a 1/2mm and you can just take the battery out, close the jaws all the way, replace battery and hold the zeroing button to reset. Otherwise very stable and consistent readings.

Purchased this to replace a Mitutoyo caliper that Ive been using for over 15 years. This set works great.

According to the online counterfeit guides, everything indicates that these are genuine Mitutoyo Calipers. The quality is superb. I am happy with the peace of mind of having a reputable name-brand product so that I dont have to wonder if they are accurate. I have had them every day for weeks now, and I have not had to recalibrate them once. If they dont indicate 0 when I close them I can be sure wiping the tips is the solution. They continue to reflect proper dimensions even with the display off, so if I turn them on while they are open I still get an accurate reading. According to the enclosed certificate, the accuracy is +/- 0.02mm or less for the entire length of travel. Movement is smooth and controlled. For over $100 they werent cheap, but I feel like they are a great value. If there are better ones out there, I dont want to know what they cost.

I bought two other calipers prior to these. What a waist of money. I did watch a thirty-four minute video on You Tube before purchasing that showed how to tell the real Mitutoyo from the counterfeit. These are real, and awesome.

Ive used these for 20 years at work so Im very used to them. Now I have a set of my own! Smooth action, big readout, bigger than the older style, that resolves 0.0005 inch in five full-sized digits. Simple to flip to mm. Does not turn itself off (a good thing!). Super stable---maybe due to the submicron internal resolution? Great finish and fit. Thumbwheel feels good. Batteries, per catalog, state 3 to 5 years but I suspect longer based on past experience---and I have left them on over many a weekend! This is not not a review of a counterfeit. This purchase was fulfilled by Amazon and their inventory control is impeccable. These calipers came in a sealed bag with a piece of Ferobrite VCI paper. That was placed in the one-piece molded case. On top of that, stapled all together, was the Ferobrite warning notice, a notice of the launch of Mitutoyos Smart Factory solutions website, a fold-out manual with 11 languages, a small notice to wipe excess oil from the calipers, a China RoHS compliance certificate (helping them to Import into China), a reminder to recycle batteries for the EU (in 7 languages) ---and--- an SR44SW battery made by Saizaiken, Japan. Batteries last a very long time in a real Mitutoyo and, just to be sure this is not a counterfeit, I made some measurements: Current when on was pulsing 2 to 6 μA and when off dropped to a stable 0.5 μA: very good. When a Mitutoyo wants a fresh battery a B is seen in the upper-right corner of the display. I measured this threshold at about 1.40 Volts. If you dont heed that warning, a Mitutoyo will not give bad or unstable readings but will instead simply turn off. I measured this cutoff threshold at 1.3 Volts and the readings were dead-stable up the that point. Other things that tend to indicate this is authentic is a CE mark with compliant dimensions, surface finish marks that are parallel with the tool, ABSOLUTE molded into the battery cover and gold plated battery contacts.

Unsolicited feedback: With all of the fraudulent copy/knock-offs being sold online these days... I wanted to share with any potential customers that these Mitutoyo calipers are indeed genuine. These were purchased through the Amazon Mitutoyo Store and fulfilled by MSI Viking. Thank you!

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.

I have been using a dial caliper for hand loading for years. I recently decided get a digital caliper to make it easier to read measurements directly when using attachments on the jaws of the caliper. The first digital caliper I got was an inexpensive (~$25) instrument from a different manufacturer. That was a mistake. The inexpensive caliper was essentially useless for my purposes. Its consistency in reading was terrible. Frustrated, I decided to just spend the $ and get a good instrument (buy once cry once). I decided on a Mitutoyo 500-196-30 - I was not disappointed. What a caliper! Very accurate. Very consistent. Very easy to use. Very easy to read. Very good battery life AND uses a commonly available inexpensive battery. I cant find anything that I dont like about this caliper! I dont usually write reviews unless the product or customer service is extraordinarily good or extraordinarily bad... This caliper is that good - worth my time and my $ (and yours too!) Buy with confidence!

does what it is designed for with absolute precision...

This caliper is well made but I find it measures exactly the same as a $20 unit from Aldi. So probably not worth the extra money.