Image data reduction and processing system

1. An image data processing system comprising:

a digital camera having a conversion means for converting the light from a photographic object to image data, and a storage medium;

an image data memory apparatus having a memory section storing the image data;

reduction image data forming means for forming reduction image data according to the image data; and

a communication apparatus having a communication device transmitting and receiving the image data and the reduction image data between the digital camera and the image data memory apparatus, and a communication path to which the communication apparatus is connected,

wherein:

the image data is stored in the memory section, and the reduction image data is stored in the storage medium,

the reduction image data is a thumbnail,

the digital camera includes an image display means for displaying one of the image data and an image according to the reduction image data, and

the reduction image data forming means is provided in the image data memory apparatus.

2. The image data processing system described in claim 1 , wherein the reduction image data forming means forms the reduction image data according to the image data stored in the memory section, including the image data received from the digital camera.

3. The image data processing system described in claim 2 , wherein the digital camera is provided with storing means for receiving the reduction image data and storing it in the storage medium.

4. The image data processing system described in claim 3 , wherein the digital camera houses therein the communication apparatus.

5. The image data processing system described in claim 4 , wherein the memory section of the image data memory apparatus has a cache area in which the stored image data is deleted at need and the new image data is stored, and a saving area to accumulate the image data.

6. The image data processing system described in claim 1 , wherein the image data is removed from the digital camera, after transmitting to the image data memory apparatus, and later restored to the digital camera.

7. The image data processing system described in claim 1 , where the image data is automatically deleted from the digital camera after the image data is transmitted to the image data memory apparatus.

8. An image data memory apparatus comprising:

a memory section for receiving image data photographed by an outside digital camera and for storing it;

reduction image data forming means for forming reduction image data according to the image data; and

transmission means for transmitting the reduction image data to the digital camera,

wherein:

the reduction image data is a thumbnail,

the digital camera includes an image display means for displaying one of: the image data and an image according to the reduction image data, and

the reduction image data forming means is provided in the image data memory apparatus.

9. An image data processing system comprising:

a digital camera having a converter which converts light from a photographic object to image data, and a storage medium;

an image data memory apparatus having a memory section storing the image data;

reduction image data device which forms reduction image data according to the image data; and

a communication apparatus having a communication device transmitting and receiving the image data and the reduction image data between the digital camera and the image data memory apparatus, and a communication path to which the communication apparatus is connected,

wherein:

the image data is stored in the memory section, and the reduction image data is stored in the storage medium,

the reduction image data is a thumbnail,

the digital camera includes an image display that displays one of the image data and an image according to the reduction image data, and

the reduction image data device is provided in the image data memory apparatus.

10. The image data processing system described in claim 9 , wherein the reduction image data device forms the reduction image data according to the image data stored in the memory section, including the image data received from the digital camera.