The Sony HVR-Z7U and HVR-S270U interchangeable-lens camcorders are two very interesting offerings for 2008. Offering 1080/24p HDV to tape as well as to CompactFlash media via an accessory recorder, they look to be a great way to bridge the gap between the reliability and simplicity of long-format tape production and the convenience of solid state media.

B&H is now accepting pre-orders on the Z7U, listed at $6,299.95. At this time you can also pre-order the S270U, listed at $9,299.95. As with the EX1 release you should note that orders will be filled in the order they are received. And as with the EX1 release, I anticipate an initial shortage of camcorders.

Both record 1080 HDV @ 24p and 30p via three 1/3-inch ClearVid CMOS Exmor imagers with a claimed 1.5 lux rating. Other recording formats include 1080i, DVCAM, and DV. Both downconvert HD to SD via Firewire and can simultaneously record to CF card in either HDV or SD resolutions. Additional output options include HD-SDI/SD-SDI (with embedded audio and TC) on the S270U and uncompressed HDMI output on the Z7U. If you’d like to keep tabs on these two unique camcorders, watch our continuing coverage here.