Canon SX520 vs Contax N Digital

The Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Contax N Digital are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2014 and February 2002. The SX520 is a fixed lens compact, while the N Digital is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX520) and a full frame (N Digital) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Contax provides 6.1 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon SX520		Contax N Digital
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
24-1008mm f/3.4-6		Contax N mount lenses
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		6.1 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/30p Video		no Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 50-1,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 461k dots		2.0" LCD – 200k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
1.6 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
210 shots per battery charge		100 shots per battery charge
120 x 82 x 92 mm, 441 g		152 x 138 x 80 mm, 990 g

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Check N Digital offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and the Contax N Digital? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon SX520 and the Contax N Digital are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Contax N Digital is considerably larger (113 percent) than the Canon SX520. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX520 nor the N Digital are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX520 has a lens built in, whereas the N Digital is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

As can be seen in the images above, the N Digital has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
2.		Contax N Digital	152 mm	138 mm	80 mm	990 g	100	n	Feb 2002	7,399	ebay.com
3.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon D60	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	855 g	620	n	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX530	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX540	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	205	n	Jan 2016	399	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
11.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
12.		Leica M9	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	585 g	550	n	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
13.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
14.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
15.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
16.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The SX520 was launched at a lower price than the N Digital, despite having a lens built in. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX520 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Contax N Digital a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the N Digital is 2986 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.0. The sensor in the SX520 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the N Digital offers a 3:2 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon SX520 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 6.1 MP of the Contax N Digital. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.33μm versus 11.90μm for the N Digital). However, it should be noted that the SX520 is much more recent (by 12 years and 5 months) than the N Digital, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX520 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon SX520 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SX520 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Contax N Digital are 15.2 x 10 inches or 38.6 x 25.5 cm for good quality, 12.2 x 8 inches or 30.9 x 20.4 cm for very good quality, and 10.1 x 6.7 inches or 25.7 x 17 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon PowerShot SX520 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Contax N Digital are ISO 50 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the SX520 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the N Digital uses a CCD imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
2.		Contax N Digital	Full Frame	6.1	3040	2008	none	21.5	10.5	1283	59
3.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
4.		Canon D60	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	20.3	9.8	301	47
5.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
6.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
7.		Canon SX530	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
8.		Canon SX540	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.7	806	48
9.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
10.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
11.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
12.		Leica M9	Full Frame	18.1	5212	3472	none	22.5	11.7	884	69
13.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
14.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
15.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
16.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
17.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The SX520 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the N Digital does not. The highest resolution format that the SX520 can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the N Digital has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the SX520 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon SX520, the Contax N Digital, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
2.		Contax N Digital	optical	Y	2.0 / 200	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon D60	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX530	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX540	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Leica M9	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.0/s	n	n
13.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
14.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
15.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The SX520 has one, while the N Digital does not. While the built-in flash of the SX520 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The SX520 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the N Digital uses Compact Flash cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and Contax N Digital and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Contax N Digital	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
3.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
4.		Canon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Canon SX530	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX540	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Leica M9	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
14.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
15.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the N Digital has a hotshoe, which makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun. The SX520 does not feature such an accessory-socket.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Contax N Digital (unlike the SX520) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the SX520 and the N Digital have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX520 was replaced by the Canon SX530, while the N Digital does not have a direct successor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Contax websites.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SX520 and the Contax N Digital? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (15.9 vs 6.1MP) with a 58% higher linear resolution.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/30p movies.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (461k vs 200k dots).
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the N Digital requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x82mm vs 152x138mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the N Digital).
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (210 versus 100) on a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 12 years and 5 months of technical progress since the N Digital launch.

Arguments in favor of the Contax N Digital:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4 vs 1.6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2002).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the N Digital comes out slightly ahead of the SX520 (14 : 13 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon SX520 and the Contax N Digital place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the SX520 or the N Digital. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
2.		Contax N Digital	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2002	7,399	ebay.com
3.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon D60	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX530	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX540	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2016	399	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	349	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	349	ebay.com
11.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
12.		Leica M9	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	..	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
13.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
14.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
15.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	349	ebay.com
16.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Check N Digital offers at
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Other camera comparisons

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