So basically you want a keychain cam?
It would be worth modifying it in any manner you like, I'm not one to mess with the real intricate stuff. If you're good at that kind of thing then it would be of great advantage to be able to use the lens "pod" by itself, for sure!
And these cams are CMOS, not CCD, I decided I could use a little education on the types myself, found this-
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question362.htm
CMOS can never be as good as CCD according to some of the AP experts, but technology has a way of proving statements like that wrong...