METHOD AND DEVICE FOR RETRIEVING IMAGE AND MEDIUM RECORDING PROCESSING PROGRAM THEREFOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten time for retrieval until finding out a desired image in the case of retrieval to set retrieval time for each of plural features by setting retrieval conditions suitable for retrieving the desired image by making a retriever select an image similar to the desired image. SOLUTION: The retrieval conditions suitable for retrieving the desired image are set by making the retriever select the image similar to the desired image. A retrieval condition input part 10 inputs a retrieval key image and weight for each feature. In this case, the retrieval key image is selected out of stored images 140. A retrieval condition resetting part 11 performs sample retrieval by setting a weight range and weight width to the inputted weight for each feature and sets weight by making the retriever select the image most similar to the desired image out of result images. On the basis of the set weight, a similarity calculating part 12 calculates the degree of similarity concerning the respective stored images 140 from a feature amount found from the retrieval key image and feature amounts found from the respective stored images 140.