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

Incredible, accurate, bought in 2019 and battery still going strong in 2023. Probably been dropped about 50 times and still work just fine.

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.

No comparison to the cheap calipers.

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.

This is not a cheap Chinese nock off. Smooth action and holds it calibration well. The only reason I rated “easy to use” as a 4 was because it doesn’t have an auto on feature like my 12” Mitutoyo. Mitutoyo evidently did this to help save the battery, but this isn’t the fault of the seller.

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.

Was very skeptical especially with all the fakes. I bought through LLC Amazon, and after doing quite a bit of research I believe these to be real. There are 4 zeros before the decimal point when in inches, and 2 zeros before the decimal in mm, the finish is very nice, even the box is very sturdy. The battery is the correct SR-44 and comes in its own plastic packaging (in the caliper box), the zero button has to be held when you fit the battery, when doing this make sure you put squeeze them closed to ensure correct readings. I contacted Mitutoyo to ensure the certificate of inspection of genuine as the signature and stamps look to be printed on. They viewed photos of the documents and believed them to be authentic, I think Mutitoyo must be printing signatures now... I also saw a review of someone else which posted the photo of this card, and it had a different serial number to mine which is another indication the item is authentic. For the record my serial ends in 554 so chances are if we all have different serial numbers the item is authentic as they match the item and certificate. I hope this helps someone. Thanks.

Leaps and bounds better than the SPI, fowler, husky, cheapies Iv used in the past I have the 12” dial and the 6” digital and they have been awesome.

I own three of these in varying lengths, and they are fantastic. They are accurate and batteries last a long time. Worth the money.

I love these calipers. These are accurate and come in a solid case for storage. Ive made the mistake of buying cheap calipers in the past and finally I did the right thing and bought a pair of these Mitutoyos. Japanese quality!