An image processing apparatus includes a storage unit, a judgment unit and a conversion unit. The storage unit stores a reference color characteristic. The judgment unit judges as to whether or not a difference between an input color characteristic that is a color characteristic of input image data and the reference color characteristic is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value. The conversion unit converts the input image data into a color characteristic that can be reproduced by an image reproducing apparatus, based on the reference color characteristic if the difference is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold value.