Samsung are stepping up to the cameraphone challenge with a new 8-megapixel CMOS chip that the company expects to see in high-end handsets by the second half of 2008.  Easily besting Kodak’s latest 5-megapixel sensor, on paper at least, the 8.5mm thick unit also packs anti-shake, smile-recognition, face-tracking and a macro mode capable of shots just 1cm distance from an object (or tiny person).

Samsung also claim the CMOS can cope with extreme low-light situations and be ratcheted up to ISO 1600 for high-speed subjects.  The whole unit measures just 28mm x 15.3mm x 8.5mm; it remains to be seen whether the company will make suggestions for suitable optics to accompany the module, as all those lovely megapixels could easily be squandered with a nasty plastic lens.

[via picturephoning]