Index: /trunk/ppImage/src/ppImageParseCamera.c
===================================================================
--- /trunk/ppImage/src/ppImageParseCamera.c	(revision 13839)
+++ /trunk/ppImage/src/ppImageParseCamera.c	(revision 13840)
@@ -256,6 +256,8 @@
     byFPA2->save = options->FPA2FITS;
 
-    // output is used as a carrier: input to byChip
-    output->freeLevel = PM_FPA_LEVEL_CHIP;
+    // output is used as a carrier: input to byChip -> require the data to remain at the CHIP level
+    output->freeLevel = PS_MIN (output->freeLevel, PM_FPA_LEVEL_CHIP);
+    output->dataLevel = output->freeLevel;
+    output->fileLevel = PS_MIN (output->fileLevel, output->dataLevel);
 
     // define the binned target files (which may just be carriers for some camera configurations)