The Walkmans of compact cameras – Sony’s Cyber-shot family – is getting two new members with a cool feature called 3D Sweep Panorama. TX9 and WX5 are both equipped with the new image sensor Exmor CMOS R, which gives you 12.2-megapixel resolution with low noise and the ability to record video clips in 1080i.

Most interesting of the new features, however, is 3D Sweep Panorama that lets you create 3D images. This is done by holding the trigger button and sweeping the camera from side to side. The sensor then snaps up to a hundred images that are automatically combined into a single, three-dimensional image.

Another option is the Sweep Multi Angle, that takes 15 pictures in rapid succession and creates a 3D-like image where you can view your subject from several angles. If you happen to own a 3D flat screen, you can use it to watch your new pics.

In addition, the cameras get a brand new portrait function called Background Defocus. This is accomplished by firing off two pictures at once and combining them into one, where the main subject is kept sharp but the background is not.

Both models also get the new Superior Auto – yet another multi-picture feature that allows the camera to take six pictures almost simultaneously and then assembling them into an image with very little noise. According to Sony, this will result in an SLR-like image quality, with the same wide dynamic range and low noise.

The WX5 comes with a Sony G lens with 5x optical zoom (see above), while the TX9 get Carl Zeiss lens with 4x zoom. Both have a light sensitivity of ISO 125 to 3200 and can produce about 230 pictures on a fully charged battery. The TX9 gets a 3.5-inch screen and the WX5 a 2.8-inch variant.

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