Sony officially announces HX100v and HX9v superzooms (and also W520)

After leaks here and there and everywhere, Sony is now officially announcing their new superzoom power-duo, the 30x HX100v and the 16x HX9v. The HX100v comes almost two years after the HX1 and takes over as the top superzoom. The HX9v is of the compact-travel-zoom variety that competes with the Panasonic TZ-series and such. Both cameras are using the "stimulus for the memory card and storage industry" 16mp 1/2.3" Exmor R sensor :)

Both cameras have a 3" 921K-dot LCD display, with high-speed autofocus (that's what the press release said!), optical image stabilization, 1080p video, GPS/compass, 3D and sweep panorama modes, and things like that.

The HX100v lens has the Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* name, and starts at 27mm equivalent, giving it a wild 27-810mm (eq) zoom range with "Optical Steady Shot". Is the Hubble telescope obsolete yet? ;-) Other features include 1080p video, 3" display and a very respectable 410 CIPA shots with the LCD on. This is no featherweight, it is listed just over half a kilogram.

That's more than twice the weight of the compact-travel-zoom HX9v which comes in at 215 grams, with a Sony G-thang lens with a 16x optical zoom ratio starting at 24mm eq (24-384 eq). Battery life is 300 CIPA with LCD on. It also records 1080p movies which is a plus since it is a travel camera after all. It will be available in black or gold.

From the "don't you forget about me" department, Sony has also announced a new W-series entry-point model, the W520.

These boost the number of new cameras in 2011 from the major manufacturers to 88. This is probably a new record for a single month. Eighty-eight frakking cameras already! Churn baby churn ;-)

UPDATE (Feb-1-2011): The HX100v is now available for pre-order for $450.

Read more about the Sony HX100v and HX9v
+ dc resource
+ Imaging Insider
+ Sony Europe (mentions the W520)
+ dpreview
+ Imaging Resource
+ Fotointern