Originally posted by GerryL Doesn't one just go to the magnification tool and pick "actual size" meaning 100% and just crop any portion you want since the image of whatever portion you are cropping is already in 100% view?
No, it's not the level of current viewing magnification when you crop it (you could be zoomed in 400%).
It's the fact that no resizing occurs. So your cropped portion contains the same number of pixels as there were in that section in the original shot.
Say the original 12Mpix photo had one person in it. Out of the 12Mpix, you just want his head. In the original shot, that part contained 667Kpix (say 1000h x 667w). Your crop of just his head is 1000h x 667w and still contains 667Kpix, so no resizing has occurred. So when you pixel peep at this crop you've seeing this portion at its original (100% of sensor output) size, even if you zoom in or out.
Dan.