Apparatus for reading and reproducing a color image

Claim 1

An image reader, comprising: reading means for reading image data from an original color film to generate an electrical image signal; image signal processing means for processing said electrical image signal; a microcomputer device for generating character data on a screen with an imaginary space, and outputting a character data signal; and printing means for producing a color print based on the image data signal from said image signal processing means combined with the character data signal from said microcomputer device, wherein when the image data signal is combined with the character data signal, the character data formed in the imaginary image space on the screen of said microcomputer device is developed into a bit map, the bit map in the imaginary image space is analyzed in the form of a line, and an address of a change point of the bit data and a density designation to the change point are successively made from one end of the line, data for said address and density designation is output in synchronism with printing colors of the printing means as multi-color data, and said address and density data include data which represents whether the image data to be combined with the address and density data is to be output in priority.