Contax N Digital vs Leica M Typ 240

The Contax N Digital and the Leica M (Typ 240) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2002 and September 2012. The N Digital is a DSLR, while the M Typ 240 is a rangefinder-focusing mirrorless camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Contax has a resolution of 6.1 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 23.7 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		Leica M Typ 240
Digital single lens reflex		Rangefinder camera
Contax N mount lenses		Leica M mount lenses
6.1 MP – Full Frame sensor		23.7 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		1080/25p Video
ISO 50-1,600		ISO 200-6,400
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.0" LCD – 200k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
100 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
152 x 138 x 80 mm, 990 g		139 x 80 x 42 mm, 680 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 Leica M (Typ 240)? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Contax N Digital and the Leica M Typ 240. 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.

The M Typ 240 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the N Digital is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica M Typ 240 is considerably smaller (47 percent) than the Contax N Digital. Moreover, the M Typ 240 is markedly lighter (31 percent) than the N Digital. It is noteworthy in this context that the M Typ 240 is splash and dust-proof, while the N Digital does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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.		Contax N Digital	152 mm	138 mm	80 mm	990 g	100	n	Feb 2002	7,399	ebay.com
2.		Leica M Typ 240	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
3.		Canon XC10	125 mm	102 mm	122 mm	1040 g	370	n	Apr 2015	2,499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 300D	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon D60	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	855 g	620	n	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
7.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
8.		Leica M Typ 262	139 mm	80 mm	42 mm	680 g	400	Y	Nov 2015	5,195	ebay.com
9.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
10.		Leica M9	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	585 g	550	n	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D100	144 mm	116 mm	81 mm	780 g	370	n	Feb 2002	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D1X	157 mm	153 mm	85 mm	1100 g	1200	Y	Feb 2001	5,999	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	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 obviously take relative prices into account. 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 M Typ 240 was somewhat cheaper (by 6 percent) than the N Digital at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the M Typ 240 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the M Typ 240 offers a higher resolution of 23.7 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 6.01μm versus 11.90μm for the N Digital). However, it should be noted that the M Typ 240 is much more recent (by 10 years and 6 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.

The resolution advantage of the Leica M Typ 240 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M Typ 240 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 29.8 x 19.9 inches or 75.6 x 50.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 23.8 x 15.9 inches or 60.5 x 40.4 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 19.8 x 13.3 inches or 50.4 x 33.7 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 Contax N Digital has a native sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica M (Typ 240) are ISO 200 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the N Digital is build around a CCD sensor, while the M Typ 240 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.

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.		Contax N Digital	Full Frame	6.1	3040	2008	none	21.5	10.5	1283	59
2.		Leica M Typ 240	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	1080/25p	24.0	13.3	1860	84
3.		Canon XC10	1-inch	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	21.7	11.8	197	61
4.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
5.		Canon 300D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
6.		Canon D60	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	20.3	9.8	301	47
7.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
8.		Leica M Typ 262	Full Frame	23.7	5952	3976	none	24.8	13.7	2478	90
9.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
10.		Leica M9	Full Frame	18.1	5212	3472	none	22.5	11.7	884	69
11.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
12.		Nikon D100	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	9.9	394	48
13.		Nikon D1X	APS-C	5.9	3008	1960	none	..	..	..	..
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The M Typ 240 indeed provides for movie recording, while the N Digital does not. The highest resolution format that the M Typ 240 can use is 1080/25p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The N Digital and the M Typ 240 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 viewfinder in the M Typ 240 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the N Digital (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the N Digital has a higher magnification (0.73x vs 0.68x), 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 Leica M Typ 240 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Contax N Digital	optical	Y	2.0 / 200	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
2.		Leica M Typ 240	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon XC10	none	n	3.0 / 1030	tilting	Y	1/2000s	3.8/s	n	Y
4.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 300D	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
6.		Canon D60	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica M Typ 262	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
10.		Leica M9	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.0/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D100	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D1X	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/16000s	3.0/s	n	n
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the N Digital, but is missing on the M Typ 240 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The N Digital writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the M Typ 240 uses SDXC 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 Contax N Digital and Leica M (Typ 240) 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.		Contax N Digital	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
2.		Leica M Typ 240	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon XC10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon 300D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
6.		Canon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
7.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
8.		Leica M Typ 262	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
10.		Leica M9	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D100	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D1X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Contax N Digital (unlike the M Typ 240) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the N Digital and the M Typ 240 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The M Typ 240 was replaced by the Leica M Typ 262, 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 Leica websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Contax N Digital and the Leica M Typ 240? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Contax N Digital:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.73x vs 0.68x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• 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.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2002).

Arguments in favor of the Leica M (Typ 240):

• More detail: Has more megapixels (23.7 vs 6.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 96%.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/25p video.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• 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 (920k vs 200k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (139x80mm vs 152x138mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 310g or 31 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (500 versus 100) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More modern: Reflects 10 years and 6 months of technical progress since the N Digital launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M Typ 240 is the clear winner of the contest (11 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the N Digital or the M Typ 240. 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.		Contax N Digital	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2002	7,399	ebay.com
2.		Leica M Typ 240	4/5	..	..	..	4/5	..	Sep 2012	6,950	ebay.com
3.		Canon XC10	..	..	..	80/100	..	..	Apr 2015	2,499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 300D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon D60	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
7.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
8.		Leica M Typ 262	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2015	5,195	ebay.com
9.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
10.		Leica M9	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	..	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D100	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D1X	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2001	5,999	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, 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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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. 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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