A method of characterizing an analyte in a sample, the method comprising steps as per the following order: (a) recording a time-dependent signal of query probe events for analytes immobilized to a solid support surface as a function of (x, y) position on the solid support surface, wherein i) said query probe events refer to an instance of query probe binding to an analyte and/or an instance of query probe dissociation from an analyte at each discrete location identified by (x, y) coordinates on the solid support surface, ii) said recording a time-dependent signal of query probe events comprises measuring the signal for an analyte with single-molecule sensitivity, and iii) said query probes are low-affinity query probes having a binding and/or dissociation rate constant for the analyte that is greater than 0.5 min -1, (b) calculating a differential intensity map comprising time-dependent signal intensity changes at the solid support surface as a function of (x, y) position, (c) clustering events into local clusters by (x, y) position, wherein said (x, y) position of each query probe event is determined with sub-pixel accuracy by processing the differential intensity profile using centroid determination, least-squares fitting to a Gaussian function, least-squares fitting to an Airy disk function, least-squares fitting to a polynomial function, or maximum likelihood estimation, and (d) calculating a kinetic parameter for each local cluster to characterize the analyte. (a) recording a time-dependent signal of query probe events for analytes immobilized to a solid support surface as a function of (x, y) position on the solid support surface, wherein i) said query probe events refer to an instance of query probe binding to an analyte and/or an instance of query probe dissociation from an analyte at each discrete location identified by (x, y) coordinates on the solid support surface, ii) said recording a time-dependent signal of query probe events comprises measuring the signal for an analyte with single-molecule sensitivity, and iii) said query probes are low-affinity query probes having a binding and/or dissociation rate constant for the analyte that is greater than 0.5 min -1, i) said query probe events refer to an instance of query probe binding to an analyte and/or an instance of query probe dissociation from an analyte at each discrete location identified by (x, y) coordinates on the solid support surface, ii) said recording a time-dependent signal of query probe events comprises measuring the signal for an analyte with single-molecule sensitivity, and iii) said query probes are low-affinity query probes having a binding and/or dissociation rate constant for the analyte that is greater than 0.5 min -1, (b) calculating a differential intensity map comprising time-dependent signal intensity changes at the solid support surface as a function of (x, y) position, (c) clustering events into local clusters by (x, y) position, wherein said (x, y) position of each query probe event is determined with sub-pixel accuracy by processing the differential intensity profile using centroid determination, least-squares fitting to a Gaussian function, least-squares fitting to an Airy disk function, least-squares fitting to a polynomial function, or maximum likelihood estimation, and (d) calculating a kinetic parameter for each local cluster to characterize the analyte.