Camera

1. A camera comprising:

an imaging unit for imaging an object image;

a first storage unit for storing a plurality of still pictures and a plurality of motion pictures, as images, and information other than the images;

a display unit for displaying one or more images or an image output from the imaging unit;

a search source specification unit for specifying a search source image;

a characteristic specification unit for specifying one or more parts of the search source image, as a characteristic of an image;

a search condition specification unit for specifying a search condition by making the one or more parts of the search source image specified by the characteristic specification unit as the search condition;

a characteristic extraction unit for extracting the characteristic of the image according to the search condition specified by the search condition specification unit;

a search unit for searching an image similar to the search source image specified by the search source specification unit and in accordance with the search condition specified by the search condition specification unit;

a touch panel; and

a touch panel input detection unit for detecting a position on the touch panel where a tracing or enclosing operation is performed,

wherein the search condition specification unit specifies an image portion that corresponds to a location or range according to the position detected by the touch panel input detection unit on the touch panel where a tracing or enclosing operation is performed,

wherein the search source specification unit specifies one search source image from one or more search source images displayed on the display unit, and

wherein the search condition specification unit specifies a part whose shape is to be recognized by the camera from the search source image specified by the search source specification unit as the touch panel input detection unit detects a position on the touch panel where a contour of the part is traced or enclosed.

2. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic specification unit encloses the one or more parts of the search source image, thereby specifying the characteristic part used for the search.

3. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic specification unit traces a shape of the one or more parts of the search source image, thereby specifying the characteristic part used for the search.

4. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic specification unit makes, as the characteristic part, a range of approximately the same color as a portion of the search source image specified by a user.

5. A camera comprising:

an imaging unit for imaging an object image;

a first storage unit for storing a plurality of still pictures and a plurality of motion pictures, as images, and information other than the images;

a display unit for displaying one or more images or an image output from the imaging unit;

a search source specification unit for specifying a search source image;

a characteristic specification unit for specifying one or more portions of the search source image, as a characteristic part of an image;

a search condition specification unit for specifying the characteristic part of the image as a search condition;

a search unit for searching an image similar to the search source image specified by the search source specification unit and in accordance with the search condition specified by the search condition specification unit;

a touch panel; and

a touch panel input detection unit for detecting a position on the touch panel where a tracing or enclosing operation is performed,

wherein the search condition specification unit specifies an image portion that corresponds to a location or range according to the position detected by the touch panel input detection unit on the touch panel where a tracing or enclosing operation is performed,

wherein the search source specification unit specifies one search source image from one or more search source images displayed on the display unit, and

wherein the search condition specification unit specifies a part whose shape is to be recognized by the camera from the search source image specified by the search source specification unit as the touch panel input detection unit detects a position on the touch panel where a contour of the part is traced or enclosed.

6. The camera according to claim 5 , wherein the characteristic specification unit encloses the one or more portions of the search source image, thereby specifying the characteristic part used for the search.

7. The camera according to claim 5 , wherein the characteristic specification unit traces a shape of the one or more portions of the search source image, thereby specifying the characteristic part used for the search.

8. The camera according to claim 5 , wherein the characteristic specification unit makes, as the characteristic part, a range of approximately the same color as a portion of the search source image specified by a user.

9. The camera according to claim 1 , wherein the search condition specification unit specifies a part whose shape is to be recognized by the camera from both (1) the search source image specified by the search source specification unit, and (2) a contour of a part of the source image that is traced via the touch panel.

10. The camera according to claim 5 , wherein the search condition specification unit specifies a part whose shape is to be recognized by the camera from both (1) the search source image specified by the search source specification unit, and (2) a contour of a part of the source image that is traced via the touch panel.