Sony Gulf, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation, has announced the Middle East launch of DSC-HX1, the world’s first compact digital still camera with Sweep Panoramic Mode.

Featuring a 20x Sony G lens (that extends from 28mm at the wide end all the way to 560mm at the telephoto end), HD video recording, a large 3-inch tilting LCD screen, and up to 10 frames per second continuous shooting speeds in special modes, the new DSC-HX1 can capture expansive wide-angled panoramic images with ease.

Available in black, the camera’s Sweep Panorama function allows users to capture stunning landscape images with a sweep of the camera in the desired direction, horizontally or vertically, even as the shots are assembled into a single frame.

With two new shooting modes – Hand-held Twilight and Anti Motion Blur – the camera allows users to shoot twilight scenes without a tripod and avoid blurry images even in low-light conditions.

Osamu Miura, managing director of Sony Gulf, said: "Retaining all the benefits of the traditional Cyber-shot range, the new DSC-HX1 allows serious amateurs an intuitive shooting experience with a user interface similar to that on Sony’s range of D-SLR professional cameras."

"The camera ensures picture management remains hassle-free and fun, greatly contributing to enhanced viewing pleasure," he quipped.

Sony’s enhanced imaging and processing technologies provides users with the opportunity to capture images with almost double the clarity and detail, complete with a wider range of shooting features.

Combining Sony’s new CMOS ExmorTM Sensor with the ultra fast BIONZTM imaging processor, the DSC-HX1 delivers high-speed continuous shooting of up to 10 frames per second at 9.1-megapixel resolution with outstanding colour reproduction and minimized noise.

A hallmark achievement for Cyber-shot, the HX1 captures movie clips in 1080p high definition (HD) resolution, and a built-in stereo microphone that records crisp, clear audio.

When set to HD movie, it records at 30 frames per second (1440 x 1080) using the high-quality, high-compression MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format. Other recording options include standard-definition video and VGA, he added.

With a HDMI cable, the images on the camera can be viewed on a HD television set, while the MPEG4 AVC video recording allows viewing on a PC or uploading it on the Web.

The Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 is available in Dubai at a retail price of Dh1,999 ( $544.2). The camera and a range of accessories is available at all Jumbo Electronics retail outlets. -TradeArabia News Service