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

There is no suggestion of non-Japanese manufacture in my caliper. The box stripes, the least significant digit readout, shipping papers, all indicate Japan origin. Its a beautiful caliper. Smooth as heck. Readout not jumpy. No need to constantly re-zero. Button layout is logical and intuitive. I could never understand why some calipers have a separate on and off button. Im quite satisfied with mine. It seems genuine. Id buy it again.

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.

As of this writing, Im eight months in and I grow increasingly happy with this investment. Im far from a heavy user of precision measuring devices. Because of that, the extent of my caliper investment was a couple twenty dollar wannbes. Their dependability was such that I avoided using them, except when there was no other option. Each time I wanted to use the cheap ones, I had to replace or install the battery. Now, with the Mitutoyo, I have no qualms about reaching for them to, for example, determine the inner and outer diameter of bearings for my pieces of equipment. Unlike the cheap versions I had in the past, these are ready to go with just a touch of a button. Regarding accuracy, these go well beyond anything I need, for what Im dealing with (bearing sizes, bolt sizes, etc.). SIDE NOTE: Going by information others posted, mine is the genuine article. P.S. I gave the other two, battery eating toys away.

I researched a number of digital calipers before purchase and made the conclusion that the iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6 Digital was a pretty good unit for the price. I also saw the most of the folks felt the Mitutoyo was top of the line, but may not be worth the additional cost - $95 vs $40. I purchased the iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6 Digital calipers but I am returning them because of the display, which I have not seen discussed on this forum. I also purchased the Mitutoyo calipers. When comparing the display on the iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6 Digital vs the Mitutoyo you very quickly see the reason for the price difference. I expected to find a quality difference between the two, but was blown away by the clarity, size and quality of the display on the Mitutoyo. (500-196-30) I cannot fault the iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6 Digital as it appeared to be accurate and pretty well made, but for a tool that I plan to use for many years, I decided the price difference was worth paying. Bottom line, you wont be disappointed in the accuracy of the iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6 Digital, but if you can afford the Mitutoyo calipers, go for it. For those that are concerned about fake Mitutoyo calipers, the one I ordered came from Amazon LLC, and the calipers came in a sealed package that had to be cut open. Not the box mind you, but the actual packing that contained the calipers. All the included paperwork, box battery etc. said made in Japan. I dont think for a second that the calipers I received were not genuine.

The only negative about these I am noticing right now is the surface finish and burrs on a few of the non-critical surfaces. They measure fine, but I was slightly disappointed in the fit and finish of those few areas. The other Mitutoyo calipers Ive used havent been like this. Its not a big deal, but it is there.

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

The calipers are fairly good. The case they come in is fairly poor. THE CASE It may seem superficial but once you remove the papers from the box, there is too much room for the calipers to move inside the case. There is no soft foam or rubber padding to protect the tool from shocks if it is knocked around a bit. You can hear it move too much inside there when grabbing the case. I think Mitutoyo should supply a proper 2-piece case with a proper hinge and some basic padding for the tool, not a one-piece plastic box with no padding and a hinge that will come apart eventually. I actually like the case I got with my fifteen-dollar calipers better, even though that too is made of one piece of plastic with a cheap hinge. I dont feel confident moving the case around with the calipers in there; they jiggle around too much and basically have very little shock protection. If you arent going to be doing anything but storing them on a shelf for when they are needed, then its fine. A better solution is to keep the paperwork inside the case. The case has far less wiggle room this way and its what Im doing now. UNBOXING The unit comes inside the case with a sealed clear plastic that is not easy to open with your hands. It gives you a good indication that you are getting a new unit. The instructions are the big fold-out type with various languages. The SR44 battery packet was stapled to the paperwork in the box. The paperwork talks about the battery: The supplied batteries are used only for the purposes of checking the functions and performance of the caliper, therefore it may not satisfy the specified battery life. Im not sure if this statement is true or false but I know that only one battery was supplied and not batteries like they state. The paperwork suggests wiping off the thin coat of oil that the unit comes with. The oil is barely noticeable and there is a very good feeling of quality when inspecting the tool. There are no overprowering or unpleasant smells either. After installing the SR44 battery & setting the ORIGIN on the calipers and playing around for a few minutes, the unit would eventually return to 0.01 and not 0.00. Had to set the origin again. Mitutoyo makes mention of holding down the ORIGIN switch for more than one second. I guess its splitting hairs but its actually a button, not a switch. You may need a little narrow thing to press it if your fingers cant. The ON/OFF and other buttons are easier to press, for obvious reasons. Anyway, the unit feels good over-all and seems to be working within spec. CONCLUSION I felt that Mitutoyo supplied a cheap case essentially no different to the cheap caliper makers. It felt pretty crude to me and didnt feel like a deserving home for (relatively) expensive calipers. With the battery statement in the instructions, I am reminded of what the printer manufacturers do with new printers (supply less ink or toner with the bundled ink tanks). Im not sure if MItutoyo are supplying a cheaper battery or if the manufacturer simply wants to protect itself in case of returned units with shorter battery life, possibly from units sitting on the shelf too long with shortened battery life. Bottom-line? I like the unit but the cheap supplied case needs some basic padding and a proper hinge. We are paying over 100 dollars for calipers and getting cases basically the same as fifteen-dollar calipers. Mitutoyo should be doing better here. Despite this, I feel confident in the quality of the unit but still look forward to a day I can stop using disposable batteries.

Between these and Sterrett brand you cant go wrong. These are legit and not clones or copies. I got them for the ease of measuring Imperial and Metric. They are super accurate and work great.

This device is easy to use and understand which is just what I needed as I am learning the machining trade.

First let me say that like other reviews here I did my homework and checked that my calipers were genuine. The mitutoyo tech support stated that Amazon is an authorized distributor and my calipers were authentic. If you buy from another seller on amazon buyer beware. All the other things checked out, fancy japanese paper, crisp packaging, no battery installed, high quality build. Also, the genuine calipers have a qr code that contains the model and serial numbers. They should match. As for using the calipers themselves. They are great. Checked accuracy vs my micrometer and they were spot on. Display is easy to read. Like most calipers they are easy to use, nothing special. Dont waste your money on junk, buy real calipers and dont regret it.