Sony introduces two new HD camcorders – the HDR-SR5C and the HDR-SR8

Sony has quietly introduced two new HD camcorders on their SonyStyle website – the HDR-SR8 and the HDR-SR5C. Both camcorders are expected to begin shipping at or before July 9th although you can pre-order the camcorders now. Information on the HDR-SR8 is a bit sketchy (although there’s more info on the SR5C). Here’s what we do know:

The Sony HDR-SR8 will cost $1599.99 and comes with:

Professional grade Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens
10x optical zoom
20x digital zoom
3.2 megapixel ClearVid CMOS sensor

The Sony HDR-SR5C will cost $1299.99 and comes with:

100GB hard drive
Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T lens
10x optical zoom
80x digital zoom
2.1 megapixel ClearVid CMOS sensor
Dolby Digital 5.1 channel recording
2.7 inch widescreen touch panel clear photo LCD Plus Display with 211K pixels – rotates 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles
Allows you to record 3 seconds of fast motion (go from 60 fields per second to 240 fields per second)
Support for Memory Stick Duo Media slot
Super SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System
On Screen Zoom and Record Buttons
USB 2.0 interface
One Touch Wide Angle shooting
Progressive Shutter system
Active Interface Shoe
Super NightShot Infrared system
Dual Record – record video while capturing still images
Easy PC backup
HDMI connection
Component Video output