What happens when you shoot at a lower image size then the maximum of your camera?

[Freed]

What happens when you shoot at a lower image size then the maximum of your camera? For instance, on a 10MP cam, you shoot at a small setting, ie 2.5MP instead of the large setting of 10MP.

Does the camera use a smaller part of the sensor or does the camera uses the entire sensor and somehow output the file to 2.5MP?

I am just curious.

If the camera uses a smaller part of the sensor, does it mean lower image quality.

Anyone here know how it works?

Thanks.

 

[flipfreak]

the camera compresses the file to a smaller size if jpeg. if raw, then depends on the kind of camera u are using.

 

[Timolol]

If it uses a smaller part of the sensor, wouldn't it be cropped (or appear to have been zoomed-in)?

 

[ortega]

the camera uses the full sensor but data is at a lower resolution

why not do a test and post your results

 

[Freed]

Hey guy, that makes sense. The camera downsizes the image taken, and not use a smaller part of the sensor.

I am curious to know if there is a image quality difference too whether the cam does it for us, or we do that later in PCs. If I ever find time to test it myself, it will be great.

But if anyone here has the answers, I would love to hear!

 

[madmartian]

Sensor is like a car, whether it ferries 4 persons or 1 person, its still the same car. So if you have a 4 seater car & you want to ferry yourself, do you use only 1 wheel to ferry yourself? ;p So whether its low res or high res, its still the same whole sensor.