Automatic pipetting device with a pipetting needle made of electrically conducting material, movable in a three-dimensional working zone in at least one horizontal working plane, and which is arranged essentially perpendicularly to the horizontal working plane, and with a measuring device for determining the exact position of the pipetting needle tip in the at least one horizontal working plane, wherein the measuring device a) comprises at least one electrically conducting measuring body, which is arranged in the at least one horizontal working plane, and b) comprises a capacitance measuring device connected to a capacitor for measuring the electrical capacitance of the capacitor, wherein the pipetting needle tip forms a first electrode of the capacitor and the at least one electrically conducting measuring body forms a second electrode of the capacitor, characterized in that either - the measuring device comprises exactly one electrically conducting measuring body, which has a surface extending in the at least one horizontal working plane, wherein the surface is a triangle, a trapezium, a rhombus or a semicircle, or - the measuring device comprises at least one electrically conducting measuring body, which is arranged in a recess in a surface extending in the at least one horizontal working plane in the working zone, wherein the recess has, in top view, a triangular, trapezoidal or semicircular perimeter, and wherein the at least one measuring body extends along the perimeter of the recess, thereby enclosing a space with the same peripheral shape as the recess, wherein the measuring body forms a measuring edge, onto which a pipetting needle introduced into the recess can be directed. a) comprises at least one electrically conducting measuring body, which is arranged in the at least one horizontal working plane, and b) comprises a capacitance measuring device connected to a capacitor for measuring the electrical capacitance of the capacitor, wherein the pipetting needle tip forms a first electrode of the capacitor and the at least one electrically conducting measuring body forms a second electrode of the capacitor, characterized in that either - the measuring device comprises exactly one electrically conducting measuring body, which has a surface extending in the at least one horizontal working plane, wherein the surface is a triangle, a trapezium, a rhombus or a semicircle, or - the measuring device comprises at least one electrically conducting measuring body, which is arranged in a recess in a surface extending in the at least one horizontal working plane in the working zone, wherein the recess has, in top view, a triangular, trapezoidal or semicircular perimeter, and wherein the at least one measuring body extends along the perimeter of the recess, thereby enclosing a space with the same peripheral shape as the recess, wherein the measuring body forms a measuring edge, onto which a pipetting needle introduced into the recess can be directed. - the measuring device comprises exactly one electrically conducting measuring body, which has a surface extending in the at least one horizontal working plane, wherein the surface is a triangle, a trapezium, a rhombus or a semicircle, or - the measuring device comprises at least one electrically conducting measuring body, which is arranged in a recess in a surface extending in the at least one horizontal working plane in the working zone, wherein the recess has, in top view, a triangular, trapezoidal or semicircular perimeter, and wherein the at least one measuring body extends along the perimeter of the recess, thereby enclosing a space with the same peripheral shape as the recess, wherein the measuring body forms a measuring edge, onto which a pipetting needle introduced into the recess can be directed.