the canon gl2 has more vibrant picture quality compared to the sony pd 170. However the gl2 has smaller ccd's.. i believe 3 1/6th ones while the sony is 3 1/4" ccd. The sony is going to be better in low light situations because it has a 1 lux (lux is how well it can "see" in the dark). I think the canon has a 6 lux. Overall for the money the gl2 is a great buy for someone who is wanting to capture great footage but is not wanting to broad cast. The Pd 170 is the same exact picture quality etc. as the sony Vx2100 but the Pd has better audio capabilities. Hence the higher price tag. So if your looking for a broadcast quality camera a pd is great but a gl2 will suite the majority of people video taping there hunts. Hope this helps.