Image processing apparatus, image processing method and recording medium on which software for executing the image processing is recorded

An image processing apparatus for creating digital frequency processing image signals, which create a frequency-processed image, by subjecting digital original image signals to frequency processing, comprising:

• means for converting the original image signals into conversion image signals which represent an amount corresponding to luminance of a subject, intensity of incident light, or reproducing luminance;
• frequency processing means for carrying out frequency processing using the conversion image signals;
• and
• means for inversely converting the conversion image signals which have been subjected to the frequency processing into the digital frequency processing image signals.

An image processing method, comprising the steps of:

• converting digital original image signals into conversion image signals which represent an amount corresponding to subject luminance, incident light intensity, or reproducing luminance;
• creating soft-focus processing conversion image signals by subjecting the resultant conversion image signals to preset smoothing processing;
• and
• inversely converting the resultant soft-focus processing conversion image signals into digital soft-focusing image signals.

An image processing method, comprising the steps of:

• converting digital original image signals into conversion image signals which represent an amount corresponding to subject luminance, incident light intensity, or reproducing luminance;
• carrying out frequency processing using the resultant conversion image signals;
• and
• inversely converting the resultant frequency-processed conversion image signals into digital frequency-processed image signals.