For around $500, it will be

For around $500, it will be hard to find much more than a consumer-grade camcorder. I would have suggested, perhaps, a Panasonic G6, but it looks like it has been discontinued on B&H’s website, although you can probably still find one for sale somewhere. Otherwise, you might look for a used Panasonic GH2 on eBay. Either of these cameras will have a little bit of a learning curve, due to the fact that they are interchangeable-lens cameras instead of easy-to-use camcorders. But the image they provide is superb.