Canon Vixia HF200 or Sony HDR-CX500V?

Hi..
Finally I'm buying my first camcorder. A little googling and I shortlisted the 2 in subject line. Sony is 700 USD & Canon is 500 USD.

- Only difference of significance I could see is Sony has 1/2.88" 6MP "Exmor R" CMOS Sensor, whereas Canon has 3.89 Megapixel 1/4" CMOS. What I don't get is both record Full HD 1920x1080. I can see Sony specs say something abt recording in 1080i and upscaling to 1080p, but I don't get it.
What difference does this size in sensor make?
- Other difference in reviews is Sony is praised for it's low light performance whereas Canon is said to be ok. All I need is it to work in home lighting at night, I assume this would not be a prob in Canon.

My prime concern is the quality & performance.

Unfortunately I can afford both, but i would prefer to buy Canon + some extra battery & storage instead of Sony.

Any inputs?

Thanks

If it helps:
- I own a Sony Bravia 42" LCD TV (Full HD). I don't care much for the Bravia synch.
- I have a PC with Raedon HD 3850 card.
- 12x vs 15x zoom doesn't make a difference to me.
- My need is purely home video, a little parties n marriage coverage but primarily my newborn twin boys would star in my movies.
- I own 2 Canon SLR cameras with 5 lenses and in general I'm a canon guy..

Some links:
Canon:
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camcorders/canon-vixia-hf200/4505-6500_7-33483231.html?tag=contentBody;compare
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/597442-REG/Canon_3536B001_VIXIA_HF200_Flash_Memory.html

Sony: http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camcorders/sony-hdr-cx500v/4505-6500_7-33715705.html?tag=contentBody;compare
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/632734-REG/Sony_HDR_CX500V_HDR_CX500V_32GB_High_Definition.html

Reply 1 : Canon Vixia HF200 or Sony HDR-CX500V?

the sony will be a better performer in all areas. the things it will come down to are: the sony uses the sony memory sticks, not sdhc cards. they are a little pricey. also, the sony only shoots hd in 1080i, tho the camcorder will deinterlace it to be shown on the tv as 1080p. the canon shoots in 1080i, 30p and 24p

i personally would get the sony

Reply 2 : Canon Vixia HF200 or Sony HDR-CX500V?

>> the sony uses the sony memory sticks, not sdhc cards. they are a little pricey.
As I understood from the specs Sony does support SD card. See quote below. In addition one can have the extension via memory stick, but 32GB SDHC would come built-in. I fully agree with you and I don't want something that uses Sony propritary stuff..

From BHP link:
Canon VIXIA HF200 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder
* HD Recording to SDHC Memory Card

Can you confirm whether I made some mistake?
Also if you know: "What difference does this size in sensor make?"

Thanks.

Reply 3 : Canon Vixia HF200 or Sony HDR-CX500V?

theres 32gb built in, its not a sdhc card already in it. in addition to that, you can insert sonys memory stick for more memory

the sony has a better sensor that is better in low light. also has better stabilization

Reply 4 : Canon Vixia HF200 or Sony HDR-CX500V?

the canon is $500? where at? and also can you give me the link for the website? sony too please thanks