So, pretty much everyone here (me included) agrees that the DVX is pound for pound the best prosumer DV camera, but if you had to give out a second place participation ribbon who would it go to?
Come on, you telling me no one here would EVER use ANYTHING but the DVX? I'm just trying to get some ideas for a friend of mine who doesn't have the cash flow.
Well, the problem you're going to run into here is, most of the DVX users are enthralled with the filmlike footage they can generate. And no other camera can do that. So it's not a case of such-and-such-is-almost-as-good, it's a case of: there is nothing out there like it.
If you had relatively no money, the PV-DV953 might be an okay alternative: it's still 3 CCD's, still has zebras and some other professional features, has a Leica lens, and while it doesn't have 24P it does do frame mode, which can make for a sort-of-filmish look, and high-res "native" 16:9 mode. Plus it's tiny tiny tiny. Best thing about it is the price: it's under $1000 at B&H.