[ 0021 ] fig1 a and 1b are diagrams showing exemplary functional blocks in a digital camera used in the present system . fig1 a illustrates components of interest in a digital camera 101 programmed in accordance with the present system . as shown in fig1 camera 101 comprises a light receiving device 107 , such as a ccd or cmos imager , processor 110 , image processing hardware 105 , and an image memory module 102 . in an exemplary embodiment , light receiving device 107 is a ccd imager that detects light 126 , input through camera lens 127 , from the subject to be photographed . camera 101 further comprises a preview display 104 , for example , an lcd device , a preview button or switch 103 for enabling the preview display , and an image characteristics input mechanism 111 including an image editing input 108 and an image settings input 109 for manual input of preferred image characteristics and image editing parameters , respectively . processor 110 includes an image characteristics control component 120 and associated image settings data storage 121 which indicates user - selected image editing parameters including color balance 112 , contrast 113 , and brightness 114 , may also used in conjunction with the ‘ preferred ’ settings and preferred image characteristics settings , as explained below with respect to fig1 b . [ 0023 ] fig1 b illustrates , in further detail , certain exemplary aspects of image characteristics control function 120 and associated image settings data 121 . input mechanism 111 includes an image editing input 108 for manual input of image editing parameters , and an image settings input 109 for manual input of preferred image characteristics that determine how the initially captured image is to be processed . the user may input the image settings via a selector switch or displayable menu , etc ., both prior to capturing an image and after previewing a captured image , to edit the image . preferred image characteristics include settings such as ‘ sunny day ’ 115 , cloudy day ’ 116 , and other options 121 ( n ) such as ‘ sports mode ’, etc . image characteristics control component 120 is coupled to input mechanism 111 for receiving user - selected image characteristics , which are converted into appropriate parameters that are stored in image settings data storage 121 . for example , ‘ sunny day ’ sets the color , contrast , and brightness to certain values that generally work well in sunlight . ‘ sports mode ’, for example , causes selection of a faster than normal shutter speed and a commensurately larger aperture setting ( i . e ., lower ‘ f stop ’). the user can then further adjust the settings using color , contrast , and brightness settings . by default , an image is typically exposed using the ev value for the image , unless an image characteristics setting is selected that overrides the default exposure process . it is assumed that traditional , exposure algorithms , well - known in the art , yield adequate data for later processing . block 121 is shown in dotted lines , indicating that image settings data 121 may be stored in memory that is shared between processor 110 and image processing hardware 105 , or the data may be stored in processor registers . image processing hardware 105 operates on original data captured directly from light receiving device 107 , which is stored as original image data 132 in image memory 102 . image processing hardware 105 functions in response to commands , from image characteristics control component 120 , to convert original image data 132 to compressed image data 142 , in accordance with parameters stored in image settings data storage 121 . compressed image data 142 is also stored in image memory 102 . as part of the image processing procedure , the original image data 132 is processed by noise filter 106 , as necessary , to remove noise from the image . image processing ( initial processing and subsequent editing ) is described below in greater detail with respect to fig2 . it should be noted that component functions shown as being integral to processor 110 may be optionally implemented by software or firmware . in any event , the functions performed by blocks 105 , 106 , and 120 are initiated in response to commands from processor 110 . [ 0026 ] fig2 is a flowchart illustrating basic steps employed in carrying out the present system . as shown in fig2 at step 205 , the user ‘ takes a picture ’ with camera 101 , causing the camera to capture a digital image via light receiving device 107 . at step 210 , this original image is stored in image memory 102 , where it is retained for subsequent processing . the original image is typically saved in a mosaic pixel pattern , as described below with respect to fig3 . at step 215 , image control component 120 reads image characteristics input 111 ( or , alternatively , uses default values ) to determine how the originally captured image is to be processed . parameters corresponding to these preferred image characteristics are then stored in image settings data storage 121 . step 215 may be initiated in response to two different situations , wherein : ( 1 ) a user initially selects the preferred image characteristics that determine how the initially captured image is to be processed , via image setting input 109 , and takes a picture with camera 101 . if no image characteristics settings are selected by the user specifically for this picture , the previously selected settings , or alternatively , default values , are used by processor 110 / image processing hardware 105 . ( 2 ) after a picture has been taken , the original image data 132 is saved , and the image is initially processed ; the user then presses preview button 103 , after having entered all of the desired image editing settings via image editing input 108 . at step 220 , the original image data stored in image memory 102 is processed by image processing hardware 105 , using the parameters in image settings data storage 121 . the processed image is typically a compressed 8 bit rgb image , as described below with respect to fig3 which describes step 220 in greater detail . at step 222 , the processed image is stored in a file in compressed image data storage 142 , and at step 225 the processed image is displayed on preview display 104 . at step 230 , if the user decides that the processed image is acceptable , then no further action is by the user necessary , as the original image data 132 is deleted ( at step 235 ) when the next picture is taken . in an alternative embodiment , the camera saves the data ( in memory 102 ) from two or more original images to allow further on - board processing ( re - editing ) by the user subsequent to the image capture , after other pictures have been taken . if more than one original image is saved , the images may be deleted as necessary , depending on the amount of available memory 102 , as additional images are captured . if , at step 230 , the user decides that additional editing of the image is desirable , then editing ( re - processing ) of the originally captured image takes place , back at step 215 . [ 0032 ] fig3 is a flowchart illustrating , in greater detail , image processing functions shown in step 220 of fig2 . at step 205 ( in both fig2 and 3 ), a digital image is captured . as shown in fig3 at step 300 , the original image data 301 is stored in original image data area 132 . at step 305 , ccd data 301 , detected by light receiving device 107 , is filtered by noise filter 106 to generate noise - filtered ccd data 302 . depending upon how much the user wants to brighten or darken an image , this step may be omitted during the processing ( editing ) of certain images . if the user brightens an image a great deal , then additional noise filtering ( after the initial image processing ) may be necessary . data from light receiving device 107 is typically in the format : at step 310 , the ccd data 302 , which is in a mosaic format , is converted into rgb data 303 . rgb data is typically in the format : at step 315 , the rgb data is converted for non - linear display , typically for tone - mapping and contrast control . in an exemplary embodiment of the present system , 14 bit data is converted into 8 bit data at step 315 ; i . e ., the data from step 310 is 14 bit rgb , and the data out of step 315 is effectively 8 bit rgb . in step 315 , rgb data 303 is converted for non - linear displays , per srgb standard gamma correction . in one embodiment of the present system , a non - linear line of rgb data 303 is found for contrast and tone - mapping , and this line is merged with the standard non - linear line of the srgb specification to make one line that is used in step 315 . in an alternative embodiment , three separate steps , including contrast adjustment 316 , preferred tone reproduction 317 , and srgb gamma curve correction 318 , are performed on the rgb date 303 . steps 315 and 316 are performed in accordance with the image processing settings acquired in step 215 in fig2 . rgb data 304 corrected in accordance with the srgb gamma curve is stored in compressed image data storage 142 at step 320 , also used as display data for input to preview display 104 . since the original image data 301 is not deleted until a subsequent exposure is taken , every step in fig3 is performed every time the user changes one or more image characteristics settings . original image data 301 must be converted , in accordance with the srgb standard , in order to drive typical non - linear displays , such as preview display device 104 . this conversion is one reason why image information is lost when an image is processed . the present system , therefore , advantageously processes original image data 301 every time an image is edited . while exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown in the drawings and described above , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various embodiments of the present invention are possible . for example , the functional blocks shown in fig1 a and 1b , as well as the specific sequence of steps described with respect to fig2 and 3 , should not be construed as limited to the specific embodiments described herein . modification may be made to these and other specific elements of the invention without departing from its spirit and scope as expressed in the following claims .