Abstract:
It is difficult appropriately to select only a favorite image in a list display screen of small images such as a thumbnail image. An image processing apparatus is provided that has, in various embodiments, one or more of the features of an indicator for indicating a reduced image to be subjected to a specific image processing among displayed reduced images; a display controller for displaying an image in a size larger than the size of the reduced image indicated by the indicator; and an executor for executing the specific image processing on the stored image after the mentioned display controller displays the image in the size larger than the size of the reduced image.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/848,372, filed May 4, 2001. It claims benefit of that application under 35 U.S.C. §120, and claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-143206, filed on May 16, 2000. The entire contents of each of the mentioned prior applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a technique of transferring an image to a computer from a digital camera or another apparatus, for storing the image, and printing or e-mailing the image. 
     Related Background Art 
     In recent years, with the spread of digital cameras, it has become easy to photograph a large amount of images and to store the images in a personal computer (PC), and to print them by oneself, or to attach them to an e-mail and mail them. 
     Accordingly, a large number of pieces of image management software have been brought on sale, by which the image can be managed with a PC, printed and attached to an e-mail. 
     A representative example of the image management software is shown in  FIG. 1 . In this manner, when a folder containing an image to be displayed is selected from section  1 , an image file in the folder is displayed in a thumbnail form (an image obtained by reducing in size and displaying the original image) in section  2 , so that a user can easily see a large number of images at once. In this case, when a certain thumbnail image is selected and double-clicked in a section  3 , the image can be enlarged and displayed in a separate window. Moreover, when a certain thumbnail is selected and printing is designated, the printing of the image can be executed. Furthermore, when a certain thumb nail is selected and “e-mailing” is designated, mail software is started and the image file is automatically attached to an e-mail. 
       FIG. 2  shows an example of a printing designation window. 
     A plurality of thumb nails are selected and “print . . . ” is selected from a menu or the like. Then, the window of  FIG. 2  appears. Here, selected thumbnail images  207  are arranged and displayed. A horizontal number of frames x a vertical number of frames of images arranged in a sheet can be designated with frame number designations  201 ,  202 . When the selected images are arranged in more than one sheet, the images can be checked for confirmation that they are the desired ones by pressing a former page button  204  or a next page button  205 . Subsequently, when a print button is pushed, the images are printed according to the layout with a printer. 
     With the display of the thumbnail form, many images can preferably be seen at a glance, but each image size is small. Therefore, some image management software has a “slide show” function with which a plurality of selected thumbnail images are fully displayed over a screen and can continuously be seen. A first image of the selected images is displayed all over the screen, and the display is changed to the next image display by clicking a mouse or pressing an appropriate key. When this is repeated, the selected images can successively be displayed and seen all over the screen. In this case, the display can be returned to the previous image display by pressing an arrow key “←” or a specific key. 
     Many images are photographed with a digital camera, stored in the PC, and displayed in a list in the thumbnail form with the image management software. These images include an image out of focus, an image photographed with manual vibration, repeatedly photographed images of a similar scene or the same object, and the like. 
     In general, in consideration of a PC screen size, the thumbnail is prepared and displayed in a size of about 80×60 dots, or 160×120 dots at most. In this size of display, it is very difficult to distinguish an image that is out of focus, an image that was made during manual vibration, or the like. Moreover, it is also difficult to select a supposedly best photograph from among several repeatedly taken of the similar scene or the same object. 
     The user wants to print, e-mail or otherwise send a favorite photograph to an acquaintance, but as described above it is difficult to find the photograph from many images in the list display with such thumbnail size. Therefore, the user double-clicks the thumbnails one by one, enlarges and displays each image in a separate window and confirms whether the image is good or bad, or reproduces the images with the aforementioned slide show function to successively check the images. In this case, the user performs an operation of memorizing the favorite image, one returning to the thumbnail display screen, and re-selecting only the favorite image from the screen to print the image or attach the image to the e-mail. 
     As described above, finally the image is to be printed or attached to the e-mail. However, an operation of checking and selecting the image is not correlated with an operation of printing a result or attaching the result to the e-mail, and this is inconvenient in the user&#39;s operation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to solve one or more of the aforementioned problems. 
     Moreover, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus, image processing method, storage medium, and program which solves the aforementioned disadvantages, can securely or easily judge whether an image is good or band, and can selectively process only the good image. 
     To achieve these objects, according to the present invention there is provided an image processing apparatus that comprises a capturing unit adapted to capture a reduction image from a storage medium storing storage images, the reduction images respectively corresponding to the storage images. Also provided are a first display control unit that causes a display device to display the reduction images captured by the capturing unit, and a first selection indication unit that selects and indicates those reduction images which are to be subjected to a specific image process, from the reduction images displayed on the display device. A second display control unit causes sequentially display of a larger size image for each of the reduction images indicated the first selection indication unit, and an execution indication unit selects and indicates which of the storage images are to be subjected to the specific image process, by selecting a corresponding larger size image sequentially displayed by the second display control unit. A specifying unit specifies as a group, as a target of the specific image process, the storage images corresponding to the larger size images indicated by the execution indication unit, upon completion of the display by the second display control unit, and the second display control unit performs a slide show display. 
     Furthermore, in addition to the aforementioned constitution, in the image processing apparatus, the second display control preferably displays the stored image corresponding to the reduced image indicated by the indication means. 
     Additionally, an object of the present invention is to confirm the image by the display of the second display control means without requiring an intricate operation. 
     To achieve the object, in addition to the aforementioned constitution, in the image processing apparatus, an indicator for changing the image to be displayed in the display is displayed. 
     Moreover, in another aspect, the invention is directed to an image processing apparatus that comprises a capturing unit adapted to capture a reduction image stored in a storage medium, a display control unit that causes a display device to switch-display images each larger than the corresponding reduction image captured by the capturing unit, and a registering unit that registers, from among a series of image switch-displayed by the display control unit, the image indicated by a user as a target of a specific process. 
     Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to smoothly shift to a specific image processing with respect to an image judged to be appropriate for the specific image processing. 
     To achieve the object, in addition to the aforementioned constitution, the image processing apparatus further comprises execution instruction means for instructing the specific image processing to be actually performed in the image displayed in the display by the second display control means. 
     In this case, the execution means executes the specific image processing on the image for which the execution is instructed by the execution instruction means. 
     In another aspect, the invention is an image processing apparatus that comprises a capturing unit that captures images stored in a storage medium, a display control unit that controls so that the captured images are displayed entirely on a display device, and a registering unit that registers, from among a series of images switch-displayed by the display control unit, the image indicated by a user as a target of a specific process. 
     Further objects and characteristics of the present invention will be apparent upon reading the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an example of a display screen of a thumbnail of image management software. 
         FIG. 2  shows an example of a print window. 
         FIG. 3  shows an example of a slide show window. 
         FIG. 4  shows an example of a printing designation button, and of an e-mail designation button. 
         FIG. 5  shows a management list of selected images. 
         FIG. 6  shows a procedure for starting a slide show reproduction screen. 
         FIG. 7  shows a processing procedure for a pushed “next” button. 
         FIG. 8  shows a processing procedure for a pushed “back” button. 
         FIG. 9  shows a processing procedure for a pushed printing designation button. 
         FIG. 10  shows a processing procedure for a pushed e-mail button. 
         FIG. 11  shows a procedure until a print window is started. 
         FIG. 12  shows a procedure until e-mail software is started. 
         FIG. 13  shows an example of a digital camera. 
         FIG. 14  shows an example of connection of a computer and camera. 
         FIG. 15  shows a system constitution example in a preferred embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 14  shows a constitution example of a personal computer system as a platform on which the present invention is carried out. In  FIG. 14 , reference numeral  301  denotes a computer system main body,  302  denotes a display for displaying data,  303  denotes a mouse as a typical pointing device,  304  denotes a mouse button, and  305  denotes a keyboard. A digital camera  310  is connected to the computer system main body via communication cables such as RS-232C and USB types. 
       FIG. 15  is a diagram showing a constitution of an image data management system including software and hardware. In  FIG. 15 , reference numeral  509  denotes hardware,  505  denotes an operating system (OS) operating on the hardware  509 , and  504  denotes application software operating on the OS  505 . Additionally, components of the hardware  509  and OS  505  that are not directly necessary for describing the present embodiment of the present invention is not shown. Examples of such blocks include hardware such as the CPU and memory, a memory management system as the OS, and the like. In  FIG. 15 , reference numeral  515  denotes a hard disk for physically storing a file and data. A file system  508  constituting the OS has a function for allowing the application software to input/output the file regardless of the particular hardware. A disk IO interface  514  is disposed such that the file system  508  performs reading/writing of the hard disk  515 . A drawing management system  507  constituting the OS has a function for allowing the application software to perform drawing regardless of the particular hardware. Reference numeral  513  denotes a video interface for allowing the drawing management system  507  to perform the drawing in the display  302 . An input device management system  506  constituting the OS has a function for allowing the application software to receive a user&#39;s input regardless of the particular hardware. Reference numeral  510  denotes a keyboard interface for allowing the input device management system  506  to receive the input of the keyboard  305 , and  512  denotes a mouse interface for allowing the input device management system  506  to receive the input from the mouse  303 . The digital camera  301  is connected via RS-232C cable in the present example. The digital camera is managed by an external interface management system  522  via an RS-232C interface  521 . The communication module  305  performs communication with this external interface management system. An image management software  501  uses this communication module to exchange image data and information with the camera. 
       FIG. 13  shows an example of the digital camera. A USB I/F  1  is connected to the PC. A mode dial switch  2  has a play mode  2   a , photography mode  2   b , stitch assist mode  2   c , slide show reproduction mode  2   d , and power off  2   e . Reference numeral  3  denotes a compact flash TM (CF) card slot. When only a camera main body is used, the mode dial switch is turned to another mode from the power off, and on the power being turned on, that mode is operational. In the photography mode, an image preview is displayed in an LCD  4 . When a release switch  5  is pushed, the image is photographed and recorded in a CF card  6 . In the play mode, the last photographed and recorded image is displayed in the LCD, and the image is successively fed and reproduced by +-buttons  7   a ,  7   b.    
     An operation procedure in which the user selects the image, performs slide show reproduction and subsequently prints the image will next be described. 
     The user selects a thumb nail for the slide show reproduction in the thumb nail display screen of  FIG. 1 . In a selecting method, when “select all” is designated from the menu, all thumbnails are brought to a selected state. In the selected state, a frame color of the thumbnail turns to red, blue or another color. When a plurality of thumbnails are continuously selected from the thumbnail in a certain place, the first thumbnail is clicked and brought to the selected state. Thereafter, the last thumbnail is clicked while pushing SHIFT key. Then, the thumbnails including intermediate thumbnails are in the selected state. Moreover, when a plurality of arbitrary thumbnails are selected, CTRL key is pushed, and simultaneously the thumbnails are clicked. Then, only the clicked thumbnails are in the selected state. 
     After the thumbnails to be subjected to slide show reproduction is selected, “slide show . . . ” is selected from the menu. Then, the slide show screen is displayed in the whole screen of the computer  302  of  FIG. 14  as shown in  FIG. 3 . In this case, since the thumbnail display screen of  FIG. 1  is positioned in a back of the slide show reproduction screen. Therefore, the thumbnail display screen cannot be displayed or operated. 
     In  FIG. 3 , reference numeral  301  denotes the whole screen, and  302  denotes a displayed image. When a “back” button  303  is pushed, the displayed image can be returned to the previous image. When a “next” button  304  is pushed, the display can advance to the display of the next image. To advance to the next image, instead of this button, the mouse may be clicked, or a space key or an arrow  6  key may be pushed in the same manner. Moreover, to return to the previous image, the display can also be returned with an arrow  7  key. 
     Reference numeral  305  denotes a printing designation button. When the user sees the image, and wants to print the image, the user pushes the printing designation button. Then, a designation end mark is displayed on the button as shown by  402  of  FIG. 4 . This indicates that the user has designated the printing of the image. When the button is pushed once again, the printing designation is canceled, and the display returns to  401 . When the user successively displays and checks the image, and finds the image to be printed, the user designates the printing of the image. 
     When an end button  307  is pushed, the slide show reproduction is ended, the screen  301  disappears, and the original thumbnail display screen shown in  FIG. 1  returns. In this case, when the printing of even one image is designated in the slide show screen, a printing window shown in  FIG. 2  automatically starts, and the user can enter an operation for continuously printing the images. 
     An inner processing procedure will be described along a flow of a series of operations. 
     When the slide show reproduction screen is started, a list of selected images shown in  FIG. 5  is transferred from the thumbnail display screen. In this list, an image file path name is stored, and values for the printing designation are all stored with initial value Off designation. 
     For the slide show reproduction screen, a procedure shown in  FIG. 6  is performed. 
     In step  601  the list is obtained, and in step  602  an image file No. 1 of the list is loaded and displayed. Subsequently, the buttons  401  and  402  of  FIG. 4  are displayed in accordance with the value of print designation of the list shown in  FIG. 5 . In this case, since the initial value is Off, the button  401  is displayed. In step  603  the first image being displayed is stored in a variable COUNT. Subsequently, (COUNT+1)-th image file is loaded. Thereby, the image can quickly be displayed for the next image display. 
     When the “next” button  304  of  FIG. 3  is pushed, a processing shown in  FIG. 7  is performed. 
     It is checked in step  702  whether a (COUNT+1)-th image to be displayed has already been loaded. When the image is not loaded, the image is loaded in step  708 . Subsequently in step  703 , the image is displayed in the screen. Moreover, the button  401  or  402  of  FIG. 4  is displayed in accordance with the printing designation value of the list shown in  FIG. 5 . It is checked in step  704  whether the (COUNT+1)-th image is in a memory. If the image is in the memory, the image is deleted in step  705 . Next in step  706  a (COUNT+2)-th image is loaded, and in step  707  COUNT value is increased by one. In this case, the previous and next images to the image being displayed are loaded in the memory, and thus when the “back” or “next” button is pushed, the corresponding image can quickly be displayed. 
     When the back button  303  of  FIG. 3  is pushed, a processing shown in  FIG. 8  is performed. 
     It is checked in step  802  whether a (COUNT−1)-th image to be displayed has already been loaded. When the image is not loaded, the image is loaded in step  808 . Subsequently in step  803 , the image is displayed in the screen. Moreover, the button  401  or  402  of  FIG. 4  is displayed in accordance with the printing designation value of the list shown in  FIG. 5 . It is checked in step  804  whether the (COUNT+1)-th image is in the memory. If the image is in the memory, the image is deleted in step  805 . Next in step  806  a (COUNT−2)-th image is loaded, and in step  807  the COUNT value is decreased by one. In this case, the previous and next images to the image being displayed are loaded in the memory, and so when the “back” or “next” button is pushed, the corresponding image can quickly be displayed. 
     When the printing designation button is pushed, a processing shown in  FIG. 9  is performed. 
     In step  902  a state before the button is pushed is obtained from the list of  FIG. 5 . If in step  903  or  905  a list holding value is Off, the value is set to On. If the value is On, the value is set to Off. Subsequently in step  904  or  906 , the button is again displayed in accordance with the setting. 
     When the user pushes the end button  301  of  FIG. 3 , the slide show screen ends, and the thumbnail display screen of  FIG. 1  returns. 
     In the thumbnail display screen, a processing shown in  FIG. 11  is performed. 
     It is checked in step  1102  whether there is any “On” in the column of printing designation of the list shown in  FIG. 5 . If there is even one “On”, the printing window of  FIG. 2  is started in step  1104 . In the printing window, the path name of the image file having “On” in the list of  FIG. 5  is obtained, the image is loaded, and the image is used as the displayed image  207  or the image whose printing is executed by pushing the print button  206 . 
     Second Embodiment 
     In the first embodiment, the example for performing the printing designation in the slide show screen and subsequently automatically starting the printing window has been described. In a second embodiment, an example for designating an image to be attached to the e-mail in the slide show screen and subsequently automatically starting e-mail software will be shown. 
     The user selects a thumbnail for the slide show reproduction in the thumbnail display screen of  FIG. 1 . In a selecting method, when “select all” is designated from the menu, all thumbnails are brought to a selected state. In the selected state, a frame color of the thumbnail turns to red, blue or another color. When a plurality of thumbnails are continuously selected from the thumbnail in a certain place, the first thumbnail is clicked and brought to the selected state. Thereafter, the last thumbnail is clicked while pushing SHIFT key. Then, the thumbnails including intermediate thumbnails are in the selected state. Moreover, when a plurality of arbitrary thumbnails are selected, CTRL key is pushed, and simultaneously the thumbnails are clicked. Then, only the clicked thumbnails are in the selected state. 
     After the thumbnail to be subjected to the slide show reproduction is selected in this manner, “slide show . . . ” is selected from the menu. Then, the slide show screen is displayed in the whole screen of the computer  302  of  FIG. 14  as shown in  FIG. 3 . In this case, since the thumbnail display screen of  FIG. 1  is positioned in the back of the slide show reproduction screen. Therefore, the thumbnail display screen cannot be displayed or operated. 
     In  FIG. 3 , reference numeral  301  denotes the whole screen, and  302  denotes the displayed image. When the back button  303  is pushed, the display can be returned to the previous image. When the next button  304  is pushed, the display can advance to the display of the next image. To advance to the next image, instead of this button, the mouse may be clocked, or the space key or the arrow  6  key may be pushed in the same manner. Moreover, to return to the previous image, the display can also be returned with the arrow  7  key. 
     Reference numeral  306  denotes an e-mail designation button. When the user sees the image, and wants to attach the image to the e-mail, the user pushes this button. Then, the designation end mark is displayed on the button as shown by  404  of  FIG. 4 , and this informs the user of the e-mail designation. When the button is pushed once again, the e-mail designation is canceled, and the display returns to  403 . When the user successively displays and checks the image, and finds the image to be attached to the e-mail, the user designates the attaching of the image. 
     When the end button  307  is pushed, the slide show reproduction is ended, the screen  301  disappears, and the original thumbnail display screen shown in  FIG. 1  returns. In this case, when the e-mail of even one image is designated in the slide show screen, e-mail software automatically starts, and a new mail with the image attached thereto is displayed. 
     The inner processing procedure will be described along the flow of a series of operations. 
     When the slide show reproduction screen is started, the list of selected images shown in  FIG. 5  is transferred from the thumbnail display screen. In this list, the image file path name is stored, and values for the e-mail designation are all stored with initial value Off designation. 
     For the slide show reproduction screen, the procedure shown in  FIG. 6  is performed. 
     In step  601  the list is obtained, and in step  602  the image file No. 1 of the list is loaded and displayed. Subsequently, the buttons  403  and  404  of  FIG. 4  are displayed in accordance with the value of e-mail designation of the list shown in  FIG. 5 . In this case, since the initial value is Off, the button  403  is displayed. In step  603  the first image being displayed is stored in the variable COUNT. Subsequently, (COUNT+1)-th image file is loaded. Thereby, the image can quickly be displayed for the next image display. 
     When the next button  304  of  FIG. 3  is pushed, the processing shown in  FIG. 7  is performed. 
     It is checked in step  702  whether the (COUNT+1)-th image to be displayed has already been loaded. When the image is not loaded, the image is loaded in step  708 . Subsequently in step  703 , the image is displayed in the screen. Moreover, the button  403  or  404  of  FIG. 4  is displayed in accordance with the e-mail designation value of the list shown in  FIG. 5 . It is checked in step  704  whether the (COUNT−1)-th image is in the memory. If the image is in the memory, the image is deleted in step  705 . Next in step  706  the (COUNT+2)-th image is loaded, and in step  707  COUNT value is increased by one. In this case, the previous and next images to the image being displayed are loaded in the memory, and thus when the “back” or “next” button is pushed, the corresponding image can quickly be displayed. 
     When the back button  303  of  FIG. 3  is pushed, the processing shown in  FIG. 8  is performed. 
     It is checked in step  802  whether the (COUNT−1)-th image to be displayed has already been loaded. When the image is not loaded, the image is loaded in step  808 . Subsequently in step  803 , the image is displayed in the screen. Moreover, the button  403  or  404  of  FIG. 4  is displayed in accordance with the e-mail designation value of the list shown in  FIG. 5 . It is checked in step  804  whether the (COUNT+1)-th image is in the memory. If the image is in the memory, the image is deleted in step  805 . Next in step  806  the (COUNT−2)-th image is loaded, and in step  807  the COUNT value is decreased by one. In this case, the previous and next images to the image being displayed are loaded in the memory, and so when the “back” or “next” button is pushed, the corresponding image can quickly be displayed. 
     When the e-mail designation button is pushed, the processing shown in  FIG. 10  is performed. 
     In step  1002  a state before the button is pushed is obtained from the list of  FIG. 5 . If in step  1003  or  1005  the list holding value is Off, the value is set to On. If the value is On, the value is set to Off. Subsequently in step  1004  or  1006 , the button is again displayed in accordance with the setting. 
     When the user pushes the end button  301  of  FIG. 3 , the slide show screen ends, and the thumbnail display screen of  FIG. 1  returns. 
     In the thumbnail display screen, the processing shown in  FIG. 12  is performed. 
     It is checked in step  1202  whether there is any “On” in the column of e-mail designation of the list shown in  FIG. 5 . If there is even one “On”, in step  1204  the path name of the image file with the e-mail“On” is obtained. In step  1205  the e-mail software is started and the path name of the image file is passed. In the e-mail software, a new mail screen is displayed, and these image files are attached. 
     Third Embodiment 
     In the first and second embodiments, in order to reproduce the slide show, the display advances to the next image in response to the user&#39;s clear instruction, the end button  301  of  FIG. 3  is pushed, and the slide show screen is ended. 
     As another mode of slide show, the image is displayed for a given time, and subsequently the display is automatically successively changed to that of the next image. In this case, after the last image is display, and the given time elapses, the slide show screen automatically ends. 
     In this case, while the image is displayed for the given time such as five or ten seconds, the printing designation button or the e-mail designation button is pushed, and thereby the designation can be performed similarly as the first and second embodiment. When the display of the last image ends, the slide show screen automatically ends. When there is the printing designation or the e-mail designation, the printing window or the e-mail software is automatically displayed. 
     Additionally, the present invention can preferably be applied not only to printing and mail transmission but also to a use mode in which the image is transferred, for example, to the computer from the digital camera. For a storage medium of the digital camera, the number of frames of stored images is limited. Therefore, it is necessary to frequently transfer or delete the image in the storage medium. 
     The present invention is also preferable in a storage region change processing for transferring the image in this manner. 
     Moreover, in the aforementioned embodiments, after the printing or other processing is indicated with a reduced image, an original stored image corresponding to the indicated reduced image is displayed as largely as possible in the screen, but this feature is not limited to these possibilities. In order to display the contents of the reduced image such that the content is more easily recognized, an image larger than the reduced image may be displayed. 
     Moreover, at least a part or the whole of the reduced image may be enlarged and displayed. 
     Additionally, the present invention may be applied to a system constituted of a plurality of apparatuses (e.g., a host computer, interface apparatus, reader, printer, and the like), or to an apparatus constituted of one unit (e.g., a copying machine, facsimile machine). 
     Moreover, a program code of software for realizing the aforementioned embodiment function is supplied to an apparatus connected to various devices or a computer in a system in such a manner that various devices are operated to realize the aforementioned embodiment function. The system or the apparatus computer (CPU or MPU) is operated by operating various devices according to the stored program. The invention carried out in this manner is also included in a category of the present invention. 
     Furthermore, in this case, the program code itself of the software realizes the function of the aforementioned embodiment. The program code itself, and means for supplying the program code to the computer, for example the storage medium with the program code stored therein constitute the present invention. 
     Examples of such a storage medium with the program code stored therein include a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magnetic optical disk, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, and the like. 
     Moreover, when the computer executes the supplied program code, the aforementioned embodiment function is realized. Additionally, the program code cooperates with an operating system (OS) operating in the computer, another application software, or the like, and the aforementioned embodiment function is realized. In this case as well, needless to say, the program code is included in the embodiment of the present invention. 
     As described above, when designation means is disposed in the slide show display, first the user displays the image in a large size, can judge whether the image is good or band, and can selectively process only the good image. Moreover, the image selected in this manner is printed or attached to the e-mail according to the user&#39;s final object. This operation can continuously be performed without being interrupted. 
     Moreover, the image processing apparatus of the present invention includes: take-in means for taking in a reduced image from a storage medium in which a stored image and the reduced image corresponding to the stored image are stored; first display control means for displaying the reduced image taken by the take-in means in a display; indication means for indicating the reduced image to be subjected to a specific image processing from the reduced image displayed in the display; second display control means for displaying the reduced image indicated by the indication means in such a manner that the image is more easily recognized; and execution means for executing the specific image processing on the stored image after the second display control means displays the image. Therefore, the image which should not be processed can be prevented from being incorrectly indicated by the reduced image. In a preferable method of displaying the image in a more recognizable manner, the stored image corresponding to the reduced image is displayed, the stored image is displayed in a size larger than that of the reduced image, or at least a part of the reduced image is enlarged and displayed. 
     Moreover, since the second display control means displays the stored image corresponding to the reduced image indicated by the indication means, the image can be confirmed with a non-reduced stored image. 
     Additionally, since the second display control means displays any one of the images to be displayed in the display, it is unnecessary simultaneously to display another image or to reduce the display screen. The image can be displayed in a large size fully in the display, and can easily be confirmed. 
     Moreover, since an indicator for changing the image to be displayed in the display is displayed, the displayed large image can successively be changed. All the images are easily confirmed in the large screen. 
     Furthermore, since the image processing apparatus further includes display changeover means for successively automatically changing the image to be displayed in the display, an operation of performing a changeover instruction can be omitted during confirmation of the image. 
     Additionally, the image processing apparatus further comprises execution instruction means for instructing the specific image processing to be actually performed in the image displayed in the display by the second display control means, and the execution means executes the specific image processing on the image for which the execution is instructed by the execution instruction means. Therefore, while seeing the large image, the image processing can actually be performed on the image to be actually processed. 
     Moreover, since the printing processing is performed as the specific image processing, the performing of an unnecessary printing is reduced. Particularly, in recent years, by a printer, the image can be printed with a resolution much higher than a display resolution of the system. Characteristics which cannot easily be recognized during confirmation with the reduced image remarkably appear in the printed image. Therefore, the present invention is effectively applied during the printing processing. 
     Moreover, since the image processing apparatus includes edition operation acceptance means for accepting the user&#39;s operation, the printing processing smoothly flows and the apparatus is conveniently used. 
     Furthermore, the mail transmission processing is performed as the specific image processing. Therefore, for example, when the image is transmitted via e-mail, a troublesome operation of starting another application to confirm the image during preparation of a new mail can be omitted, and the apparatus is conveniently used. 
     Additionally, the apparatus includes mail preparation control means for controlling the apparatus in such a manner that a new mail preparation processing of attaching the image indicated to be mailed/transmitted is performed during the mail transmission processing. Therefore, the processing can smoothly shift to the processing of preparing the new mail. 
     Moreover, a transfer processing of transferring the stored image to a desired storage region is performed as the specific image processing. Therefore, an operation of starting another application to confirm the image to be transferred and transferring the desired image after confirmation is not required. Therefore, the intricate operation can be omitted and the apparatus is conveniently used. 
     Moreover, for the storage medium of the digital camera, the number of frames of stored images is limited. Therefore, an operation of transferring the image to the computer is frequently performed, and further there are many opportunities for performing the printing or another operation. In a use mode in which the storage medium is included in the digital camera, particularly a user&#39;s operation property can be enhanced. 
     The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope claimed in the following claims.