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Sony's new XDCAM EX will offer high definition recording at up to 50 Mbps along with eight channels (4:2:2) of audio, plus support for new SxS memory cards.

For folks who take their video a little more seriously than a point-and-shoot camcorder will permit, Sony has announced new entries in its XDCAM line of high-definition camcorder gear due to hit the market later this year. Designed for businesses and so-called "prosumers," the new XDCAM EX will be a tapeless camcorder which can record to Sony's just announced SxS memory cards at rates up to 50 Mbps, and record up to eight channels (4:2:2) of audio.

"The XDCAM EX camcorder will make the most sense in small production systems, where the shooter and editor is often the same person," Ott said. "In this type of production environment, you can easily control the flash media as it cycles between shooting and feeding the NLE."

The XDCAM EX will use MPEG-2 technology and capture images using three half-inch CCD imagers. Users will be able to switch between 1080/60i and 720/60p capture resolutions, and the unit will be capable of recording to 1080/50i/30p/25p/24p and 720/50p. The XDCAM EX will also sport two card slots, enabling users to record up to 120 minute of content on two 16 GB SxS flash memory cards. (Sony plans to introduce both 8 GB and 16 GB versions of the SxS media.) The XDCAM EX will also offer slow and quick motion functionality.

No details of pricing or availability of been announced, save that Sony anticipates the XDCAM EX will hit the market in "late 2007." So if you've been holding off before jumping into the high end of the high-def camcorder market…now you have one more reason to wait.