1. A method of operating an image sensor having an array of image sensor pixels, comprising: reading data from a first plurality of image sensor pixels arranged along a first row in the array; reading data from a second plurality of image sensor pixels arranged along a second row in the array, wherein at least one image sensor pixel in the first plurality of image sensor pixels and at least one image sensor pixel in the second plurality of image sensor pixels are arranged along a common column in the array; and producing an output signal by combining the data read from the first plurality of image sensor pixels with the data read from the second plurality of image sensor pixels, wherein the data from the first and second pluralities of image sensor pixels are read without reading any data from a third plurality of image sensor pixels arranged along a third row in the array that is interposed between the first and second rows, and wherein the first, second, and third pluralities of image sensor pixels form a three-by-three group of image sensor pixels in the array.