[mlatu]

it doesnt even have to be a mitutoyo to get you down to 0.01mm precision, i got mine for about 40euros. Using equipment i had access to at work i checked that rating and indeed: the tool i got is good for measuring at that scale, and you really dont need any electronics.

Usually you can pay the vendor to calibrate the tool for a couple bucks more.

of course digital ones are much, much easier to read, but you only really feel that convenience when having to measure hundreds of items quickly to sort them into a tray or something...

And in the end, usually a Nonius type caliper is good enough anyways, and skilled users can read those to up to 0.02mm... and thats already pretty good and most of the time: good enough

and in case you do need to know the length of something down to a micron, there are other tools for that with less sources for measuring errors

so yeah: mechanical calipers rock and: you dont have to always get the brand things to get what you need

[convolvatron]

I keep a bunch of the US $16 stainless dial calipers lying around so I don't feel bad when I drop them or use them as a scribe. the mitutoyos only come out when its important - getting dimensions to make a copy, or the last pass on a part that really cares about it.