You won’t find a “professi

You won’t find a “professional” HD camcorder (per say) in the $1,200 price range, but there are a number of good pro/prosumer options that you can by new or find cheaply online – Sony HDR-XR500V, Canon HG20, Panasonic HDC-TM300(not as much as a low light performer as the others). Yeah, you’ll impressa whole audience by purchasing a large camcorder, but if a cheaper camcorder (as your budget suggests) will shoot good enough HD video, then I’d purchase a consumer/prosumer camcorder in that price range such as the ones I listed above.