Camcorder recommendations

Does anyone have recommendations for a camcorder in the GBP3-400 price range?

If no specific models, any advantages of Mini-DV over the DVD-based formats?

If anyone has particular comments about any of the models on the Dixons Duty free site then that would be useful as I am passing through LHR on my way to NY on Tuesday 24th Jan...

Thanks for any help provided.

Personally, I have always gone for Sony units, as I have found them reliable, with excellent picture quality.
I currently have tow of them, my oldest one, which is now not available, is the TRV900E, Mini DV cassette, I have had this for 6 years and never let me down, with excellent picture, excellent sound and easy by DVi transfer to computer/DVD recorder

I have now bought a HDR-HC1E which is a HDV 1080i format, i.e. it will tape onto standard Mini DV tapes in normal quality or onto the same tapes in High Definition quality.
That HD quality just blows you away! At the moment, you can watch direct from the camera in HD via a HD ready LCD/Plasma, or down scale on your computer/DVD recoder to normal disc.
When Blu-Ray recorders and HD recorders come out this year, you will be able to copy at 1080i quality to discs. This camera is outside you £400 however.

But, I would say go Sony, don't look at DVD camcorders as the quality of the recording is below Mini DV and the HD recorders are aa little better than the DVD units, but like all hard drives, can go wromng and you lose whatever you have not transferred to tape anyway!