A digital camera is disclosed. In an embodiment, the digital camera has an imaging unit including an image sensor and imaging optics and a digital image processor connected to receive raw digital images from the imaging unit and to process the raw digital images. The digital camera also includes a memory configured to store digital image data that has been processed by the digital image processor and a processor configured to direct retrieval of the digital image data that is stored in the memory and the digital image processor is further configured to generate control signals for use in operation of the imaging unit.