In recent years, research in image processing is gaining immense popularity. From medical field, remote sensing, colour processing to image processing and video processing, image processing is exploited everywhere. Image processing, a type of signal processing, is nothing but a method that is used to obtain an enhanced image or to acquire quality information from it. Image processing finds its applications in intelligent transportation system, moving object tracking, defense surveillance, automatic visual inspection system and many more. 

With an advancement in technology, plenty of image processing softwares are available in the market including OpenCV library, MATLAB, Python, ENVI etc. Among these the most popular and trusted ones are MATLAB and Python. Although both the softwares are equally good, there are few features of Python that are proved to be more valuable when compared to that of MATLAB.  These features include:

1. Namespace - The core of Matlab does not support namespaces; every function will be defined in the global namespace. Python works with modules and hence starts up in a second. Namespaces gives structure to a program and keeps it clear & clean.

2. Introspection -  Since Python has a clear program structure, introspection becomes easy. An example is docstrings: here the documentation can be created in the code below the definition of a class of functions. And the documentation of an object can be accessed via .__doc__ property. 

3. Open and free source - Python is an open-source and lets the user to look at how things are being implemented. On the other hand, MATLAB is a close source and the algorithms are proprietary. Matlab licenses are expensive, and each of the Matlab toolboxes are licensed individually. But this is not the case in Python; it is a free source and user need not pay any fee to use its features. 

4. Portability -  Since Python is a free and open source, you can run the code everywhere including Linux and MAC OS.

5. Powerful - Python is well designed and is easier than the MATLAB to transform theideas into code. This software comes with extensive standard libraries and has a robust data types such as lists, sets and dictionaries. These really help to organize your data. 

6. Easier programming language - Python programming language is easier to read when compared to the MATLAB programming language. Unlike MATLAB Python uses square brackets for indexing and parentheses for function.

To conclude, although MATLAB is a well-respected software among the academicians across the globe, there are few important aspects wherein MATLAB lacks and loses to Python. If you are looking for a clean, well written and readable programming language, switch to Python now!