New OmniVision Sensor Gives Mobiles RAW Shooting Power

"At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, OmniVision Technologies announced a new image sensor that will bring RAW shooting capabilities to mobile devices. The new 5-megapixel sensor, based on OmniVision's backside illumination (BSI) technology, can offer the user the ability to work directly with the RAW image data, which should allow for enhanced post-processing to tweak an image after the shot. The new sensor chip is sized to fit the constraints of current mobile phone designs. Besides its RAW shooting potential, OmniVision's new sensor, called the OV5647, can also shoot HD video. The sensor can record 720p video at 60fps, or 1080p video at 30fps. The sensor chip is currently sampling and OmniVision will start mass production in July 2010."

Generally when I think of camera phone devices I think of taking shots when I don't have my point and shoot or my SLR. And of course video is absolutely because you have nothing else to take it with. Now RAW image data and 1080p video? Tons of video will be taken and we'll have the goods to take it with. And now we can take quality pics and enhance them after their taken. I wonder which Windows Phone 7 will be the first to get a camera like what OmniVision is bringing to the table? It also makes me wonder what the price will be. 2010's shaping up to be a great tech year!