Looking for a good Sony HDR-HC3 vs. Canon HV10 comparison? Look no farther than the New York Times’ Technology page (of all places!). The NY Times has a nice little article that compares the Sony HC3 and the forthcoming Canon HV10. There are a lot of things to like about both camcorders, and each camcorder excels over the other in certain ways.

The Canon HV10, for instance, will get you the new Instant AF, which combines the usual internal auto focus with an external sensor that judges distance to the subject. The HV10 also features an optical image stabilizer, which is a plus when compared to the Sony HC3’s electronic image stabilizer. The HV10 also features analog input, so that you can record your old video footage onto MiniDV tapes for preservation or editing purposes.

The Sony HDR-HC3 will get you HDMI output versus the Canon HV10’s component output. You also get Sony’s pervasive infared “Nightshot” mode for recording footage in pitch black. The HC3 also has an accessory shoe, which allows for external lights or microphones.

The NY Times’ closing comments:

… by entering the high-def camcorder market a year and a half after its rivals, Canon has played the same conservative waiting game it once used with digital cameras and camcorders. Its goal, of course, is to watch and learn as the pioneers get all the arrows in their backs.