phranque - 8:46 am on Jan 23, 2010 (gmt 0)

last i looked the best bang for the buck in the prosumer DV range was the panasonic PV-GS250 & PV-GS400.
you can check out the reviews to see the advantages of each.
i don't think either has been made for a while but you might still be able to find a gently used one for a good price.