http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DSC-RX100...rds=sony+rx100

Rx100 by sony is best bang for the buck in point and shoots right now . . .

If you don't want to spend 500, you are not going to get "amazing" results by any means. But you can still get good results. . .

Search eBay for a Fuji x10 and you'll get nice photos with it, but only meh on the video. . .

under 300 look for Canon Digital Elph, most of those are good, avoid the 150 and lower ones, they generally offer quite poor performance IMO