To extend the range of the viscosity parameters to be measured and measuring capabilities at different values ​​of the fluid kinematic characteristics, the apparatus provides possibility of using the capillaries of different diameters for measurements at different shear flow velocities of the sample in question. A modification that facilitates measurements using a cassette of multiple capillaries is available, which will increase the reliability and accuracy and reduce the procedure time. Both laboratory and portable embodiments of the device may be fitted with a communications port used for feeding measurement data to a personal computer, and may also have a removable storage medium in order to store temporarily the measurement data.