Seemed like a great product until after 5 minutes

I bought this camera because it is the best HD camera on the market per the www.camcorderinfo.com ratings. I opened the package, charged the battery, and recorded five minutes with my 21 week old little girl....then THE problem started. The auto lens cover would not close on playback. An error popped up and said "len cover open, turn off then back on". Then I turned the unit back on the lens shut. An error appeared on the screen which said "lens cover closed, turn off then back on". I could not believe it! I tried everything to correct the issue with no remedy. Over and over! I turn the unit on and the lens cover closes. I turn the unit off and the lens opens. This is exactly backwards with what is supposed to be happening. This renders the camera useless. It scares me so badly that I will return for a refund and not consider another unit. Just think...if this happens after the 3 month Sony P&L warranty then YOU have to pay for very expensive labor through Sony. I have five minutes of beautiful video for my $1,047 + $14.95 shipping. After reading the reviews on other Sony camcorders this seems like a reoccuring problem. I will look into the Panasonic camcorders to see if they have an auto lens mechanism. If they do...then I guess I will buy the least expensive regular DV unit with the least possibility of this problem. I'm not saying that you will have the same problem...but boy is it a risk at this price point. Be carefull out there! Best Regards