Hate to thread-jack, but I thought I'd jump into this conversation rather than start a new one.

I've got a new baby on the way next month, and I'd like to get a camcorder to capture all of the big firsts, but I'm torn between a few options:

-- For simplicity, I'm drawn to hard drive camcorders like JVC's GZ-MG21. I like the idea of being able to grab several hours of footage at once without having to swap tapes or DVDs and later burning the footage to DVDs to send out to the grandparents. Everything I've read about hard drive cameras in my price range, though, is that they have sub-par video quality.

-- I understand that MiniDV camcorders like the Canon Elura 100 generally have the best video quality, but I'm not thrilled with the idea of storing dozens of individual tapes or with the process of capturing the footage from the MiniDV onto a computer to burn a DVD.

-- Mini DVD camcorders like the Canon DC22 seem like they might be a good compromise, but I'm a little thrown by the fact that you only get 20 minutes of recording time per disc.

Any suggestions? I'm looking for a very consumer-level camcorder here; budget is about $400 and I don't plan on doing any crazy editing. The main priority is a system that will let me film the new baby with good video quality, good sound quality, and both watch the images myself and share them with family and friends.

Thanks in advance -- I appreciate any help.