IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM PRODUCT AND DEVICE FOR EXECUTING RETINEX PROCESSING

An image not subjected to color correction, gamma correction, MTF correction and others is used as an image to be subjected to Retinex image processing. Thus, a RAW image prepared only by converting an electric signal of a CCD image sensor by an A/D converter into a digital form is used as an image to be subjected to the Retinex processing. Predetermined gamma correction is performed after the Retinex processing. Thereby, Retinex algorithm substantially modeling functions of a retina and a cortex of a living body exhibits its original performance. The resolution of the original image is lowered, and processing is performed on an image thus produced to produce a blurred image. Then, the resolution of the blurred image is restored to the same resolution as that of the original image, and the Retinex processing is performed. Thereby, the Retinex processing can be performed without increasing memory consumption and extremely lowering an operation speed.