Sorry for my late reply too
Well i really cant help you here as I have had little experience with the lower, entry level, cameras. I can however, recommend you brands like JVC and Sony for this price range. I would have a look at all the competitions cameras, find their equivalents (In your price range) and do a comparison. Also. You might want to prioritize things like mic ports and hot shoe mounts as these things allow for expansion/upgrades in the future.
*Some time later*
I found one after comparing all the basic stats. Panasonic offers a great camcorder called the HC-V750M. It gets outshined by the others in zoom length and "other features" like water proof and "tough". But all those are gimmics. What really matters is that the camera at its widest is 29mm focal length which is the perfect focal length for video IMO. It also has a modest sensor with 6.8 Megapixels when recording 1080p. Also it also records at a higher than normal bit rate (28mbps) which means you will get great detail. and to top it off it has mic input and a hotshoe mount for future upgrades (like an external mic). They are selling online for just under $650USD.
But be sure to look around and compare models. Remembering what you will be using it for and choosing in accordance.