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Contax N Digital vs Canon 10D

The Contax N Digital and the Canon EOS 10D are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2002 and February 2003. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (N Digital) and an APS-C (10D) sensor. The Contax has a resolution of 6.1 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 6.3 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Contax N Digital
versus
Canon 10D
Contax N Digital   Canon 10D
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Contax N mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
6.1 MP – Full Frame sensor 6.3 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video no Video
ISO 50-1,600 ISO 100-3,200
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
2.0" LCD – 200k dots 1.8" LCD – 118k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4 shutter flaps per second 3 shutter flaps per second
100 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
152 x 138 x 80 mm, 990 g 150 x 107 x 75 mm, 850 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Contax N Digital and the Canon EOS 10D? 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Contax N Digital and the Canon 10D is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Contax N Digital vs Canon 10D
Compare N Digital versus 10D top
Comparison N Digital or 10D rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 10D is notably smaller (23 percent) than the Contax N Digital. Moreover, the 10D is markedly lighter (14 percent) than the N Digital. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the N Digital nor the 10D are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

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. In order to provide similar functionality for the 10D, Canon provides the BG-ED3 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay).

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Contax N Digital 152 mm 138 mm 80 mm 990 g 100 n Feb 2002 7,399ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 10D 150 mm 107 mm 75 mm 850 g 500 n Feb 2003 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SL1 117 mm 91 mm 69 mm 407 g 380 n Mar 2013 549ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 7D 148 mm 111 mm 74 mm 860 g 800 Y Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 20D 144 mm 106 mm 72 mm 770 g 700 n Aug 2004 1,499ebay.com
6.
 
Canon Rebel 142 mm 99 mm 72 mm 649 g 400 n Aug 2003 899ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 1Ds 156 mm 158 mm 80 mm 1265 g 600 Y Sep 2002 8,999ebay.com
8.
 
Canon D60 150 mm 107 mm 75 mm 855 g 620 n Feb 2002 2,999ebay.com
9.
 
Leica M10-P 139 mm 80 mm 39 mm 660 g 210 Y Aug 2018 7,995ebay.com
10.
 
Leica M10 139 mm 80 mm 39 mm 660 g 210 Y Jan 2017 6,595ebay.com
11.
 
Leica SL 147 mm 104 mm 39 mm 847 g 400 Y Oct 2015 7,450ebay.com
12.
 
Leica M9 139 mm 80 mm 37 mm 585 g 550 n Sep 2009 7,999ebay.com
13.
 
Nikon D100 144 mm 116 mm 81 mm 780 g 370 n Feb 2002 1,999ebay.com
14.
 
Nikon D1X 157 mm 153 mm 85 mm 1100 g 1200 Y Feb 2001 5,999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 10D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 73 percent) than the N Digital, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Contax N Digital features a full frame sensor and the Canon 10D an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the 10D is 60 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Contax N Digital and Canon 10D sensor measures

Despite having a smaller sensor, the 10D offers a slightly higher resolution of 6.3 megapixels, compared with 6.1 MP of the 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 7.38μm versus 11.90μm for the N Digital). However, it should be noted that the 10D is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the N Digital, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage.

The Contax N Digital has a native sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 10D are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the N Digital is build around a CCD sensor, while the 10D uses a CMOS 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.

N Digital versus 10D MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Contax N Digital Full Frame 6.1 3040 2008none21.510.5128359
2.
 
Canon 10D APS-C 6.3 3072 2048none21.110.957157
3.
 
Canon SL1 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.811.384363
4.
 
Canon 7D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.785466
5.
 
Canon 20D APS-C 8.2 3504 2336none21.911.072162
6.
 
Canon Rebel APS-C 6.3 3072 2048none21.010.854455
7.
 
Canon 1Ds Full Frame 11.0 4064 2704none21.811.095463
8.
 
Canon D60 APS-C 6.3 3072 2048none20.39.830147
9.
 
Leica M10-P Full Frame 23.8 5952 3992none25.114.1273993
10.
 
Leica M10 Full Frame 23.8 5952 3992none24.413.2213386
11.
 
Leica SL Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.013.4182188
12.
 
Leica M9 Full Frame 18.1 5212 3472none22.511.788469
13.
 
Nikon D100 APS-C 6.0 3008 2000none20.49.939448
14.
 
Nikon D1X APS-C 5.9 3008 1960none........
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Neither the N Digital nor the 10D offer Live View, so that they cannot project the live image that the sensor receives onto the rear screen. Moreover, both cameras are still-image focused and cannot record videos.
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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The N Digital and the 10D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the N Digital has a higher magnification than the one of the 10D (0.73x vs 0.55x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Contax N Digital and Canon 10D along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
# image 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.
 
Contax N Digitaloptical Y2.0 / 200 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s n n
2.
 
Canon 10Doptical Y1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon SL1optical n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.9/s Y n
4.
 
Canon 7Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon 20Doptical Y1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon Rebeloptical n1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
7.
 
Canon 1Dsoptical Y2.0 / 120 fixed n 1/8000s 3.0/s n n
8.
 
Canon D60optical Y1.8 / 114 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
9.
 
Leica M10-Poptical n3.0 / 1037 fixed Y 1/4000s 5.0/s n n
10.
 
Leica M10optical n3.0 / 1037 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s n n
11.
 
Leica SL4400 Y3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/8000s 11.0/s n n
12.
 
Leica M9optical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 2.0/s n n
13.
 
Nikon D100optical Y1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
14.
 
Nikon D1Xoptical Y2.0 / 120 fixed n 1/16000s 3.0/s n n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 10D has one, while the N Digital does not. While the built-in flash of the 10D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the N Digital and the 10D write their files to Compact Flash cards.

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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 Contax N Digital and Canon EOS 10D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Contax N DigitalY- / ----FW---
2.
 
Canon 10DY- / ----1.1---
3.
 
Canon SL1Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
4.
 
Canon 7DYmono / -Y-mini2.0---
5.
 
Canon 20DY- / ----1.1---
6.
 
Canon RebelY- / ----1.1---
7.
 
Canon 1DsY- / ----FW---
8.
 
Canon D60Y- / ----1.1---
9.
 
Leica M10-PY- / -----Y--
10.
 
Leica M10Y- / -----Y--
11.
 
Leica SLYstereo / monoYYfull3.0Y--
12.
 
Leica M9Y- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Nikon D100Y- / ----1.1---
14.
 
Nikon D1XY- / ----FW---
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Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the N Digital and the 10D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 10D was replaced by the Canon 20D, 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 Contax and Canon websites.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Contax N Digital and the Canon 10D? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Arguments in favor of the Contax N Digital:

  • 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.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.73x vs 0.55x).
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (200k vs 118k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2002).

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Advantages of the Canon EOS 10D:

  • More compact: Is smaller (150x107mm vs 152x138mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 140g or 14 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (500 versus 100) out of a single battery charge.
  • Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (73 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (11 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the N Digital is the clear winner of the match-up (11 : 6 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.

N Digital 11:06 10D

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Contax N Digital and the Canon 10D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the N Digital or the 10D perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Contax N Digital............ Feb 2002 7,399ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 10D......+ +.... Feb 2003 1,999ebay.com
3.
 
Canon SL14/5+..78/1004/54/5 Mar 2013 549ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 7D5/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 20D......+ +.... Aug 2004 1,499ebay.com
6.
 
Canon Rebel......+ +.... Aug 2003 899ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 1Ds......+ +.... Sep 2002 8,999ebay.com
8.
 
Canon D60......+ +o.. Feb 2002 2,999ebay.com
9.
 
Leica M10-P....3/5....4/5 Aug 2018 7,995ebay.com
10.
 
Leica M104.5/5......4/54.5/5 Jan 2017 6,595ebay.com
11.
 
Leica SL4/5..4/584/1004.5/54/5 Oct 2015 7,450ebay.com
12.
 
Leica M9........4.5/5.. Sep 2009 7,999ebay.com
13.
 
Nikon D100......+ +o.. Feb 2002 1,999ebay.com
14.
 
Nikon D1X......+ +.... Feb 2001 5,999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Contax N Digital vs Canon 10D

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Contax N Digital Canon 10D
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Contax N mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2002 February 2003
    Launch Price USD 7,399 USD 1,999
    Sensor Specs Contax N Digital Canon 10D
    Sensor Technology CCD CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 36.0 x 24.0 mm 22.7 x 15.1 mm
    Sensor Area 864 mm2 342.77 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.3 mm 27.3 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 6.1 Megapixels 6.3 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 3040 x 2008 pixels 3072 x 2048 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 11.90 μm 7.38 μm
    Pixel Density 0.71 MP/cm2 1.84 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video no Video
    ISO Setting 50 - 1,600 ISO 100 - 3,200 ISO
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) .. 57
    DXO Color Depth (bits) .. 21.1
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) .. 10.9
    DXO Low Light (ISO) .. 571
    Screen Specs Contax N Digital Canon 10D
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.73x 0.55x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel Control Panel
    Rear LCD Size 2.0inch 1.8inch
    LCD Resolution 200k dots 118k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Contax N Digital Canon 10D
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 4 shutter flaps/s 3 shutter flaps/s
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF cards CF cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs Contax N Digital Canon 10D
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket PC Sync socket
    USB Connector Firewire USB 1.1
    HDMI Port no HDMI no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Contax N Digital Canon 10D
    Battery Type Contax 4xAA Canon BP-511
    Battery Life (CIPA)100 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 152 x 138 x 80 mm
    (6.0 x 5.4 x 3.1 in)
    150 x 107 x 75 mm
    (5.9 x 4.2 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 990 g (34.9 oz) 850 g (30.0 oz)
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