1. A digital image processing method for detecting and correcting visual imperfections using a reference image, comprising: capturing, on a hand-held or otherwise portable or spatial or temporal performance-based image capture device, an main image and one or more reference images having a temporal or spatial overlap or proximity with the main image, or combinations thereof; analyzing on the device the one or more reference images for enhancing the main image; correcting on the device one or more defects or other sub-optimal characteristics in the main image based on the analyzing of the one or more reference images to create a modified image comprising an enhanced version of the main image; and displaying, printing, transmitting, or storing the modified image or a further processed version thereof; whereby the correcting on the device of the one or more defects of other sub-optimal characteristics of the main image based on the analyzing of the one or more reference images produces at the device an enhanced main image from an original image in real-time with spatial economy and performance efficiency, and wherein the method further comprises detecting a region containing a face within the original main image, and modifying the face region based on the one or more reference images, wherein the one or more reference images comprise at least one region containing the face, and the method further comprises comparing said face region with the face region detected within the original main image, and replacing the face region in the main image with the face region of the one or more reference images, wherein said face region of said one or more reference images is captured less than one second before or after said main image.