IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE CORRECTING METHOD

An image correcting method is provided which comprising the steps of: reading an image recorded on a recording material, obtaining image characteristic data based on a result of the reading, and storing the obtained image characteristic data in storage means, and thereafter, when an image recorded on the recording material is read, obtaining image characteristic data from image data obtained by the latter reading; based on the obtained image characteristic data and the image characteristic data stored in the storage means, calculating a correction parameter for correcting image quality deterioration of the image; and correcting the image data based on the calculated correction parameter. Accordingly, image quality deterioration of an image caused by storage environmental conditions or aged deterioration of the recording material can be corrected precisely.