Sony has introduced two new Cyber-shot cameras in America today in what is says is "Responding to the growing demand for super zoom digital cameras".

The new 8-megapixel DSC-H9 and DSC-H7 models also have a strong emphasis on sports featuring the company's new sports shooting mode that promises to combine high shutter speed shooting and intelligent continuous auto-focusing.

The speed promise is thanks to the models being able to shoot up to 1/4000 of a second.

Both cameras are powered by the Bionz processing engine, first used in Sony’s Alpha digital SLR camera system. But Sony says that capturing fast action does not have to result in blurry photos. The H9 and H7 cameras incorporate Super Steady Shot optical image stabilisation to minimise blur caused by camera shake.

Both cameras feature a Carl Zeiss 15x optical zoom lenses and Sony's face detection technology, which it says can identify up to eight faces in the camera’s LCD frame, and automatically adjust white balance and flash as well as focus and exposure for correctly exposed, sharp photos.

The cameras also offer ISO shooting modes up to ISO3200 while the H9 camera is the only Cyber-shot model in this year’s line to feature NightShot technology which Sony say is ideal for low light conditions.

The H9 camera takes fast-action shooting a step further. It sports a 3-inch, flip-up LCD screen so that you can shoot comfortably from nearly any position. The H7 camera has a non-articulating but large 2.5-inch LCD screen for easy sharing and viewing.

Like the new T-Series cameras also announced today the new cameras feature high-definition outputs allowing users to connect them to a HDTV with the Sony VMC-MHC1 high-definition component cable, sold separately.

Other helpful in-camera functions include red-eye correction and photo retouching effects with filters. You can create fun and artistic photos with up to four filter selections, such as the partial colour filter that can highlight your star athlete in colour while the background of the photo is in black-and-white.

The DSC-H9 and DSC-H7 cameras will ship in April for about $480 and $400, respectively. Sony in the UK says that it will have pricing and availability details in the UK shortly although Dabs.com is listing the H9 at £318.