A method and device for generating image data are disclosed herein. One embodiment of the method comprises focusing an image of an object onto a two-dimensional photosensor array, wherein an optical element is located between the object and the two-dimensional photosensor array. The optical element is moved, wherein the moving causes the image focused on the two-dimensional photosensor array to move parallel to the two-dimensional photosensor array. Data representative of the image is generated by the two-dimensional photosensor array while the optical element is moving.