Being able to record 8 hours at a time is great. The only drawback to the hard drive type of recording is that a new file is created each time. The positive to that is that it makes for ease of transfer. You can record to DVD with the software they include and it's very easy. The battery life is awful, so get an extended or extra battery.
Buy JVC Everio GZMG57 1.3MP 30GB Hard Disk Drive Digital Media Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom!