diff --git a/picamera/camera.py b/picamera/camera.py
index 36b1202a..7fa0f9f1 100644
--- a/picamera/camera.py
+++ b/picamera/camera.py
@@ -2232,7 +2232,7 @@ def _get_config(self):
             colorspace=self._camera.outputs[0].colorspace
         )
 
-    def _configure_camera(self, old, new):
+    def _configure_camera(self, old, new, small_preview=False):
         """
         An internal method for setting a new camera mode, framerate,
         resolution, clock_mode, and/or ISP blocks.
@@ -2304,13 +2304,19 @@ def _configure_camera(self, old, new):
             cc.max_stills_h = new.resolution.height
             cc.stills_yuv422 = 0
             cc.one_shot_stills = 1
-            cc.max_preview_video_w = new.resolution.width
-            cc.max_preview_video_h = new.resolution.height
+            if small_preview:
+                cc.max_preview_video_w = 1920
+                cc.max_preview_video_h = 1080
+            else:
+                cc.max_preview_video_w = new.resolution.width
+                cc.max_preview_video_h = new.resolution.height
             cc.num_preview_video_frames = max(3, fps_high // 10)
             cc.stills_capture_circular_buffer_height = 0
             cc.fast_preview_resume = 0
             cc.use_stc_timestamp = new.clock_mode
             self._camera.control.params[mmal.MMAL_PARAMETER_CAMERA_CONFIG] = cc
+            if small_preview:
+                preview_resolution = mo.to_resolution((1920,1080))
 
             # Clamp preview resolution to camera's resolution
             if (
@@ -2613,9 +2619,14 @@ def _set_resolution(self, value):
                     "Invalid resolution requested: %r" % (value,))
         config = self._get_config()
         self._disable_camera()
-        self._configure_camera(config, config._replace(resolution=value))
-        self._configure_splitter()
-        self._enable_camera()
+        try:
+            self._configure_camera(config, config._replace(resolution=value))
+            self._configure_splitter()
+            self._enable_camera()
+        except PiCameraMMALError:
+            self._configure_camera(config, config._replace(resolution=value), small_preview=True)
+            self._configure_splitter()
+            self._enable_camera()
     resolution = property(_get_resolution, _set_resolution, doc="""
         Retrieves or sets the resolution at which image captures, video
         recordings, and previews will be captured.