Contax N Digital vs Panasonic FZ2000

The Contax N Digital and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 (labelled Panasonic FZ2500 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2002 and September 2016. The N Digital is a DSLR, while the FZ2000 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a full frame (N Digital) and an one-inch (FZ2000) sensor. The Contax has a resolution of 6.1 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 20 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		Panasonic FZ2000
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Contax N mount lenses		24-480mm f/2.8-4.5
6.1 MP – Full Frame sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
no Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 50-1,600		ISO 125-12,800 (80 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
2.0" LCD – 200k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
4 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
100 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
152 x 138 x 80 mm, 990 g		138 x 102 x 135 mm, 915 g

Check N Digital offers at
ebay.com
Check FZ2000 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Contax N Digital and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000? 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 Contax N Digital and the Panasonic FZ2000 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 Panasonic FZ2000 is considerably smaller (33 percent) than the Contax N Digital. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the N Digital nor the FZ2000 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the FZ2000 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 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.		Panasonic FZ2000	138 mm	102 mm	135 mm	915 g	350	n	Sep 2016	1,199	amazon.com
3.		Canon 1Ds	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1265 g	600	Y	Sep 2002	8,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon D60	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	855 g	620	n	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
6.		Canon Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Leica M9	139 mm	80 mm	37 mm	585 g	550	n	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
9.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
10.		Leica M10-P	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.com
11.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D1X	157 mm	153 mm	85 mm	1100 g	1200	Y	Feb 2001	5,999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D100	144 mm	116 mm	81 mm	780 g	370	n	Feb 2002	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The FZ2000 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Contax N Digital features a full frame sensor and the Panasonic FZ2000 an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the FZ2000 is 87 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the FZ2000 offers a higher resolution of 20 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 2.41μm versus 11.90μm for the N Digital). However, it should be noted that the FZ2000 is much more recent (by 14 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 Panasonic FZ2000 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the FZ2000 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 are ISO 125 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the N Digital is build around a CCD sensor, while the FZ2000 uses a BSI-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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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.		Panasonic FZ2000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	538	70
3.		Canon 1Ds	Full Frame	11.0	4064	2704	none	21.8	11.0	954	63
4.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
5.		Canon D60	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	20.3	9.8	301	47
6.		Canon Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
7.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
8.		Leica M9	Full Frame	18.1	5212	3472	none	22.5	11.7	884	69
9.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
10.		Leica M10-P	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	25.1	14.1	2739	93
11.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
12.		Nikon D1X	APS-C	5.9	3008	1960	none	..	..	..	..
13.		Nikon D100	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	9.9	394	48
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
15.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
16.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
17.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
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 FZ2000 indeed provides for movie recording, while the N Digital does not. The highest resolution format that the FZ2000 can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the FZ2000 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the N Digital has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the FZ2000 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. In addition, the viewfinder of the FZ2000 has a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.73x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Contax N Digital, the Panasonic FZ2000, 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.		Contax N Digital	optical	Y	2.0 / 200	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
2.		Panasonic FZ2000	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 1Ds	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon D60	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
7.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
8.		Leica M9	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.0/s	n	n
9.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
10.		Leica M10-P	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D1X	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/16000s	3.0/s	n	n
13.		Nikon D100	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/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 FZ2000 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 reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the FZ2000 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Panasonic FZ2000 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The N Digital writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the FZ2000 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 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.		Panasonic FZ2000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 1Ds	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
4.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
6.		Canon Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Leica M9	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
10.		Leica M10-P	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
11.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
12.		Nikon D1X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D100	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the FZ2000 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the N Digital does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Contax N Digital (unlike the FZ2000) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The FZ2000 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the N Digital has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the N Digital from Contax. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Contax and Panasonic websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Contax N Digital or the Panasonic FZ2000 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Contax N Digital:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• 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.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• 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).

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 6.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 81%.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/30p video.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.73x).
• 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 (1040k vs 200k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the N Digital requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (138x102mm vs 152x138mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the N Digital).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (350 versus 100) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 14 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 FZ2000 is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 7 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 Contax N Digital and the Panasonic FZ2000 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the N Digital and the FZ2000 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. 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.

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.		Panasonic FZ2000	..	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2016	1,199	amazon.com
3.		Canon 1Ds	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2002	8,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon D60	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
6.		Canon Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Leica M9	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	..	Sep 2009	7,999	ebay.com
9.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
10.		Leica M10-P	..	..	3/5	..	..	4/5	Aug 2018	7,995	ebay.com
11.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	7,450	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D1X	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2001	5,999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D100	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated 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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Check FZ2000 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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