if your digital electronic calipers flicker, you bought the wrong (cheap) ones. I also have two of the Mitutoyo 500 196 series Digimatic Absolute, and they are the best I've used. I also have Starrett digital electronic tools, but they are battery hogs. Worse, it seems every other time I use them and replace the batteries, they then need repair and Starrett says they're "obsolete" and no longer has any parts for them. This includes a like-new 6" No.121 caliper, a 6" No.754 depth gauge, a 9" No.123 caliper and a No.734 0-1" micrometer. All now expensive paperweights. Meanwhile, the batteries in my Mitutoyo tools are all over 5 years old and still work fine. That includes the two 6" calipers, a 0-1" 293-344 and a 1-2" 293-331 micrometers.
Mitutoyo has earned all my business for digital electronic tools.
Mitutoyo has earned all my business for digital electronic tools.