IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

An image processing method includes a step for inputting the type of digital camera used for obtaining an original image signal to be processed, a step for preparing a non-sharp mask signal of the original image signal, a step for reading a contrast table and a density dependent table corresponding to the type of digital camera from a hard disk device, a step for carrying out sharpness enhancement processing based on the contrast table, the density dependent table, the non-sharp mask signal and the original image signal so that the maximum value of responses of the spatial frequency characteristics of an image signal on which the sharpness enhancement processing has been effected is a value in the region of 1.5 to 3.0 times the spatial frequency characteristics of the original image signal. Accordingly, spatial frequency enhancement processing can be carried out under preferred processing conditions on the original image signal obtained by the digital still camera.