The amazing Sweep Panorama mode lets you capture scenic vistas of unprecedented scale and grandeur. Just choose Sweep Panorama from the Shoot Mode menu, and move the camera in a smooth arc as you press the shutter button. The camera will take a series of photos at high speed and seamlessly stitch them together into a single panorama image of breathtaking beauty, with all the resolution and image detail you need for large-format printing.

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Sweep Panorama is designed to work best at wide-angle settings (16mm~18mm).

The NEX-5 and NEX-3 are in tune with the times with HDMI connectivity and BRAVIA HDTV 3D imaging support*, adding yet another dimension of enjoyment to Sweep Panorama shooting and viewing pleasure.

* Available summer 2010

Thanks to their powerful Exmor CMOS image sensor and BIONZ image processing engine, both these cameras can offer high-speed continuous shooting at up to 7 fps (approx.) in Speed Priority Continuous mode*, and at up to 2.3 fps (approx.) in Continuous Advance mode. In addition, their 10-second self-timer also has a 3-shot continuous shooting setting.

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Focus, exposure, and white balance are locked at the first shot. Continuous speed varies according to shooting conditions and memory cards used.

This unique Scene Selection mode takes six shots* at high speed when the shutter is pressed, and then aligns and merges them into a single image, significantly reducing the graininess and noise that can degrade image quality when shooting in extremely low light. Combined with the outstanding low-noise performance of the Exmor CMOS image sensor, it lets you take exceptionally clear, beautiful, nighttime photos without using a tripod or flash.

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Focus and exposure are locked at the first shot.

Like Hand-held Twilight mode, Anti Motion Blur mode uses exclusive Sony image analysis and alignment technologies to combine six shots into a single image. Ideal for low-light and telephoto shooting, it makes it easy to get clear images that capture the mood and atmosphere of the moment.

Precision digital zoom gives you a quick way to capture closer views of distant subjects when using a fixed focal length (non-zoom) lens. Activated via the Camera menu, it provides smooth enlargement of the central portion of the frame, from 1.1x up to 10x, as the control wheel is rotated.

Perfect for sunsets, backlit cityscapes, and other dramatically illuminated subjects, Auto HDR mode lets you capture images with a super-realistic range of shadow and highlight detail. It achieves this feat by taking three exposures in rapid succession – one to capture a normal exposure, one to capture shadows, and one to capture highlights. The three exposures are then digitally combined into a single stunning image that is saved along with the normal exposure. For greater creative control, you can set the Auto HDR exposure range in six steps, from 1.0EV to 6.0EV, to get the precise effect you want.

* Auto HDR available only in P/A/S/M modes

The D-Range Optimizer helps you capture rich, natural shadow and highlight detail in backlight and other high-contrast shooting situations. Unlike Auto HDR, which works best with stationary subjects, the D-Range Optimizer works equally well with moving subjects, and thanks to fast BIONZ image processing, can even be used during continuous shooting. So it's a great way to get better image quality when photographing children or pets in tricky lighting conditions. Settings include Auto, which automatically optimizes tonal reproduction based on an area-by-area analysis of the scene, and Level, which allows you to choose from 5 levels of optimization.

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Optimization effectiveness varies according to shooting conditions.