Digital caliper question

My experience with my Mitutoyo digital calipers pretty much echoes everyone else’s. I’ve changed the battery once in 4 years. It doesn’t automatically shut off, so I turn it off when I remember but mostly it stays on. I have a dial caliper for a backup if and when I ever find myself needing a battery and don’t have one. But so far, it’s been just that… a backup.

Tom
 
What's your guy's opinions on Starrett vs. Mitutoyo calipers? Or Starrett vs. Mitutoyo in general. I'm getting my Christmas bonus soon and I feel like getting something that's high in quality, I have nothing but cheap imports on all my machining tools.
 
Here's Mits electronic and Starrett dials . Which do you prefer ? They both do the job . I wouldn't let anyones opinion steer you one way or the other . You the user have to make a choice as what tool is better for the work I'm performing . !

IMG_9738.JPG
 
I have both Mitutoyo digital and dial calipers, and like and use them both. I've compared them against 1 and 2" standards:
the digital shows on the money while the dial looks like a few tenths out. In other words, fine for what I use them for.
I have no experience with Starrett, but I would buy Mitu's again.
 
Get the Mitutoyo......the real deal, not the counterfeits that Amazon sells.
 
My VINCA digital caliper somehow got magnetized. I gotta find a way to demagnetize it.
 
I have both Mitutoyo digital and dial calipers, and like and use them both.

Ditto. Supplemented the digital with a dial a year or so ago out of the same concern Bill Hudson expressed. I've been treating the dial as a 'master', i.e. only used on and around the surface plate, but I may have to rethink that based on your note. Time to get out the gage blocks.
 
The main operational advantage of my Mitutoyo digital caliper is that it knows where zero is, even when turned off. Cheap calipers need rezeroing every time its turned on.
 
I have had several digital calipers, I prefer the absolute reading type that always remember the "0" point/position, battery wise the longest lasting is the Mitutoyo > Igaging > everything else. Batteries are cheap, so I always keep a couple around (typically store them in the refrigerator). The Igaging Absolute caliper's work very well, are durable, and moderately priced (around $40 for the 6") . Mitutoyo are 2-3X the cost, there are a lot of counterfeits, in particular on eBay. Comparison with the Igaging, they both have similar accuracy, durability wise they also seem comparable. I had some Fowler digital calipers before these, they literally fell apart and would randomly change readings, it got tossed and replaced with the Igaging. There are also different levels of the Mitutoyo calipers, the cheaper line is significantly less accurate (the 700 series is +/- 0.005" vs. the 500 series which is +/-0.001").

If you want the Mitutoyo, then might look at Zoro, they routinely have 20-25% discounts, so it will run you ~$100. They are very nice, but my beater caliper is the Igaging.
https://www.zoro.com/mitutoyo-absolute-digital-caliper-0-to-6-500-196-30/i/G2660296/
 
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