Method and apparatus for optimizing memory usage in image processing

A method and digital camera avoiding the use of delay lines for block processing within the camera, such as compressing images, demosaicing, or the like. Processing is done for a block comprising a single newly received line, together with previously acquired information. In one preferred embodiment, the block processing is performed for the single line using previous lines as retrieved from the results of previous processing. In another embodiment, the processing results for the current block are determined by the processing results of the previous block together with the newly received line. Saving delay lines provides for lower memory requirements, and enables the production of smaller and lower cost cameras.