Pixel binning vs sampling

joe bosak

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Probably being a bit thick here, but I have seen references to Sony FF sensors in the S and R models (of whatever generation) being the same but with pixel binning used in the S model to give lower output resolution. Or words to that effect. And that the pixel-binned output of the R model is basically the same as the S. But a lot of what I find on-line is about video which I don't care about.

So my question is: what are the lower resolution modes of the R series doing (I have an RII)? Do they bin pixels (eg pooling 4 actual pixels to create one larger virtual pixel, to lower the resolution) or are they sampling pixels (eg using 1 pixel of the 4) to reduce the count?

Only interested in stills.
 
They are binning the pixels to get a better noise figure. Assume noise is random, and occurs sporadically in pixels. By binning four pixels, the "sporadic noise" is averaged out.

The Nikon D1 used a Sony CCD with pixel binning, 25 years ago.
 
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