An image processing method comprising: acquiring successive frame images at a frame rate of 30 frames per second or greater through a camera module; buffering each frame image both as a display image and as a corresponding still image, wherein the still image is an image with a full resolution and the display image has a resolution smaller than the resolution of the still image, the buffering comprising, for each frame image acquired through the camera module: scaling the frame image to provide a respective display image; buffering the scaled image through a display image buffer; and buffering the still image having full resolution corresponding to the scaled image through a still image buffer; displaying (303, 1003), in substantially real time and at substantially the frame rate, by the display unit the buffered display images as a first preview image, in a preview mode of the camera module; receiving by a controller an input for setting (305, 1005) an effect selected among a plurality of options while the first preview image is displayed; displaying an effect preview image by applying, with a post-processor, the selected effect (307, 1009) to each of the buffered display images; and upon reception of an input (309, 1011) for requesting image capture, processing image compensation (313, 1021) by the controller by applying the selected effect to the still image corresponding to the buffered display image of the first preview image as a background process, and simultaneously, returning to the preview mode (311, 1023) to display sequentially further buffered display images as a second preview image, said further buffered display images corresponding to frame images acquired at a later time period. acquiring successive frame images at a frame rate of 30 frames per second or greater through a camera module; buffering each frame image both as a display image and as a corresponding still image, wherein the still image is an image with a full resolution and the display image has a resolution smaller than the resolution of the still image, the buffering comprising, for each frame image acquired through the camera module: scaling the frame image to provide a respective display image; buffering the scaled image through a display image buffer; and buffering the still image having full resolution corresponding to the scaled image through a still image buffer; scaling the frame image to provide a respective display image; buffering the scaled image through a display image buffer; and buffering the still image having full resolution corresponding to the scaled image through a still image buffer; displaying (303, 1003), in substantially real time and at substantially the frame rate, by the display unit the buffered display images as a first preview image, in a preview mode of the camera module; receiving by a controller an input for setting (305, 1005) an effect selected among a plurality of options while the first preview image is displayed; displaying an effect preview image by applying, with a post-processor, the selected effect (307, 1009) to each of the buffered display images; and upon reception of an input (309, 1011) for requesting image capture, processing image compensation (313, 1021) by the controller by applying the selected effect to the still image corresponding to the buffered display image of the first preview image as a background process, and simultaneously, returning to the preview mode (311, 1023) to display sequentially further buffered display images as a second preview image, said further buffered display images corresponding to frame images acquired at a later time period.