I began getting into video editing and saw the real need for a mini DV to produce more quality in my work. I actually first bought a Canon mini DV for its size and price. That went right back to the store! Its quality was worse than my VHSC, really it was. If you are serious about quality and durability go with Sony. I have never been displeased with any Sony I have owned and still retain all 3 camcorders!
On a side note, if you are just looking for a camera to tape your kids sporting events, family functions, etc...you may not want to go as far as this mini DV only because there are so many features and things to learn it may take quite a bit of practice before it is ready to use. For those uses I would definitely recommend one of the Sony Digital-8 cams. Also note that the still picture quality is not what you would get with a digital camera, not even close. But that is not what this mini DV is for, so I totally dismiss that and consider it another cool feature to play with! One great thing also about this camera is that it will record MPEGS!
All in all, an excellent buy!