From the start of the Raspberry Pi project it has always been the intention to add modules to the computer intended to spark a programming renaissance. Being able to plug in a camera component should increase considerably the number of applications which can be developed using the little device.
The idea is not really to put the module and credit card-sized computer into a housing to create a home-made point-and-shoot camera, although that would be possible. It is really intended to be at the heart of automation and robotics projects.
The [Raspberry Pi] unit offers just two USB ports and an SD card slot, but the camera will plug into the exposed CSI pins in the middle of the device.
A post from Liz Upton on the Raspberry Pi site says: “We may downgrade the super-duperness of the camera to something with fewer than its current 14 megapixels before release; we need to keep things affordable, and a sensor of that size will end up pricey.”
There is no word yet on a release date or price for the camera module.
Tech Radar: Raspberry Pi 14-megapixel camera module unveiled