I would guess the pic of two "engineers" is a publicty photo. Just has that look about it. That means that other than the equipment, there is nothing you can believe.
As for verniers, absolutely, positively, no frigging way I'll use them. Have a six incher that has been untouched for the past ten years. It is very difficult for me to discern all the lines. After I determine which lines line up the best, (I swear there is never a pair that line up exactly) I have trouble discerning which ones they are. All of this makes them an huge source of unneeded error. Batteries and junked twenty dollar dial calipers are emotionally and finacially cheaper than scrapped projects.
Bill