diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index d717a049..1b0a3b87 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
   im_atantra(), im_exptra(), im_exp10tra(), im_logtra(), im_log10tra(),
   im_abs(), im_sign(), im_max(), im_maxpos(), im_deviate(), im_divide(),
   im_multiply(), im_stats(), im_measure(), im_recomb(), im_floor(), im_ceil(),
-  im_rint()
+  im_rint(), im_equal(), im_notequal(), im_less(), im_lesseq(), im_more(),
+  im_moreeq()
   redone as classes
 - added argument priorites to help control arg ordering
 - generate has a 'stop' param to signal successful early termination
diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index aac0c664..881d1047 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 - test _O_TEMPORARY thing on Windows
 
+ * See also: #VipsBoolean, #VipsRelationalConst.
+
 
 
 - avg/dev etc. should uncode images? eg. labq2lab etc.
diff --git a/libvips/arithmetic/Makefile.am b/libvips/arithmetic/Makefile.am
index b673c818..c4078b36 100644
--- a/libvips/arithmetic/Makefile.am
+++ b/libvips/arithmetic/Makefile.am
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ libarithmetic_la_SOURCES = \
 	binary.h \
 	unary.c \
 	unary.h \
+	relational.c \
 	add.c \
 	linear.c \
 	invert.c \
diff --git a/libvips/arithmetic/arithmetic.c b/libvips/arithmetic/arithmetic.c
index 8969ab41..95b83b93 100644
--- a/libvips/arithmetic/arithmetic.c
+++ b/libvips/arithmetic/arithmetic.c
@@ -518,6 +518,7 @@ vips_arithmetic_operation_init( void )
 	extern GType vips_measure_get_type( void ); 
 	extern GType vips_recomb_get_type( void ); 
 	extern GType vips_round_get_type( void ); 
+	extern GType vips_relational_get_type( void ); 
 
 	vips_add_get_type();
 	vips_subtract_get_type();
@@ -536,4 +537,5 @@ vips_arithmetic_operation_init( void )
 	vips_measure_get_type();
 	vips_recomb_get_type();
 	vips_round_get_type();
+	vips_relational_get_type();
 }
diff --git a/libvips/arithmetic/relational.c b/libvips/arithmetic/relational.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1d7b5762
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libvips/arithmetic/relational.c
@@ -0,0 +1,265 @@
+/* relational.c --- various relational operations
+ *
+ * Modified:
+ * 26/7/93 JC
+ *	- >,<,>=,<= tests now as (double) to prevent compiler warnings. Should
+ *	  split into int/float cases really for speed.
+ * 25/1/95 JC
+ * 	- partialized
+ * 	- updated
+ * 7/2/95 JC
+ *	- oops! bug with doubles fixed
+ * 3/7/98 JC
+ *	- vector versions added ... im_equal_vec(), im_lesseq_vec() etc
+ * 	- small tidies
+ *	- should be a bit faster, lots of *q++ changed to q[x]
+ * 10/3/03 JC
+ *	- reworked to remove nested #defines: a bit slower, but much smaller
+ *	- all except _vec forms now work on complex
+ * 31/7/03 JC
+ *	- oops, relational_format was broken for some combinations
+ * 23/9/09
+ * 	- gtkdoc
+ * 	- use new im__arith_binary*() functions
+ * 	- more meta-programming
+ * 23/6/10
+ * 	- oops, moreconst and moreeqconst were the same
+ * 4/11/11
+ * 	- redone as a class
+ */
+
+/*
+
+    Copyright (C) 1991-2005 The National Gallery
+
+    This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+    it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+    GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+    Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+
+ */
+
+/*
+
+    These files are distributed with VIPS - http://www.vips.ecs.soton.ac.uk
+
+ */
+
+/*
+#define DEBUG
+ */
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif /*HAVE_CONFIG_H*/
+#include <vips/intl.h>
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include <vips/vips.h>
+
+#include "arithmetic.h"
+#include "binary.h"
+
+/**
+ * VipsRelational:
+ * @in: input #VipsImage
+ * @out: output #VipsImage
+ * @relational: relational operation to perform
+ *
+ * Perform various relational operations on pairs of images. 
+ *
+ * The output type is always uchar, with 0 for FALSE and 255 for TRUE. 
+ *
+ * Less-than and greater-than for complex images compare the modulus. 
+ *
+ * If the images differ in size, the smaller image is enlarged to match the
+ * larger by adding zero pixels along the bottom and right.
+ *
+ * If the number of bands differs, one of the images 
+ * must have one band. In this case, an n-band image is formed from the 
+ * one-band image by joining n copies of the one-band image together, and then
+ * the two n-band images are operated upon.
+ *
+ * The two input images are cast up to the smallest common type (see table 
+ * Smallest common format in 
+ * <link linkend="VIPS-arithmetic">arithmetic</link>).
+ *
+ * See also: #VipsBoolean, #VipsRelationalConst.
+ */
+
+typedef struct _VipsRelational {
+	VipsBinary parent_instance;
+
+	VipsOperationRelational relational;
+
+} VipsRelational;
+
+typedef VipsBinaryClass VipsRelationalClass;
+
+G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsRelational, vips_relational, VIPS_TYPE_BINARY );
+
+static int
+vips_relational_build( VipsObject *object )
+{
+	VipsRelational *relational = (VipsRelational *) object;
+	VipsArithmetic *arithmetic = (VipsArithmetic *) object;
+
+	if( relational->relational == VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MORE ) {
+		relational->relational = VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESS;
+		VIPS_SWAP( VipsImage *, 
+			arithmetic->ready[0], arithmetic->ready[1] );
+	}
+
+	if( relational->relational == VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MOREEQ ) {
+		relational->relational = VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESSEQ;
+		VIPS_SWAP( VipsImage *, 
+			arithmetic->ready[0], arithmetic->ready[1] );
+	}
+
+	if( VIPS_OBJECT_CLASS( vips_relational_parent_class )->build( object ) )
+		return( -1 );
+
+	return( 0 );
+}
+
+#define RLOOP( TYPE, ROP ) { \
+	TYPE *left = (TYPE *) in[0]; \
+	TYPE *right = (TYPE *) in[1]; \
+	PEL *q = (PEL *) out; \
+	\
+	for( x = 0; x < sz; x++ ) \
+		q[x] = (left[x] ROP right[x]) ? 255 : 0; \
+}
+
+#define CLOOP( TYPE, COP ) { \
+	TYPE *left = (TYPE *) in[0]; \
+	TYPE *right = (TYPE *) in[1]; \
+	PEL *q = (PEL *) out; \
+	\
+	for( x = 0; x < sz; x++ ) { \
+		q[x] = COP( left[0], left[1], right[0], right[1]) ? 255 : 0; \
+		\
+		left += 2; \
+		right += 2; \
+	} \
+}
+
+#define SWITCH( ROP, COP ) \
+	switch( vips_image_get_format( im ) ) { \
+	case VIPS_FORMAT_UCHAR:		RLOOP( unsigned char, ROP ); break; \
+	case VIPS_FORMAT_CHAR:		RLOOP( signed char, ROP ); break; \
+	case VIPS_FORMAT_USHORT: 	RLOOP( unsigned short, ROP ); break; \
+	case VIPS_FORMAT_SHORT: 	RLOOP( signed short, ROP ); break; \
+	case VIPS_FORMAT_UINT: 		RLOOP( unsigned int, ROP ); break; \
+	case VIPS_FORMAT_INT: 		RLOOP( signed int, ROP ); break; \
+	case VIPS_FORMAT_FLOAT: 	RLOOP( float, ROP ); break; \
+	case VIPS_FORMAT_DOUBLE: 	RLOOP( double, ROP ); break;\
+	case VIPS_FORMAT_COMPLEX: 	CLOOP( float, COP ); break; \
+	case VIPS_FORMAT_DPCOMPLEX: 	CLOOP( double, COP ); break;\
+ 	\
+	default: \
+		g_assert( 0 ); \
+	} 
+
+#define CEQUAL( x1, y1, x2, y2 ) (x1 == y1 && x2 == y2)
+#define CNOTEQUAL( x1, y1, x2, y2 ) (x1 != y1 || x2 != y2)
+#define CLESS( x1, y1, x2, y2 ) (x1 * x1 + y1 * y1 < x2 * x2 + y2 * y2)
+#define CLESSEQ( x1, y1, x2, y2 ) (x1 * x1 + y1 * y1 <= x2 * x2 + y2 * y2)
+
+static void
+vips_relational_buffer( VipsArithmetic *arithmetic, 
+	PEL *out, PEL **in, int width )
+{
+	VipsRelational *relational = (VipsRelational *) arithmetic;
+	VipsImage *im = arithmetic->ready[0];
+	const int sz = width * vips_image_get_bands( im );
+
+	int x;
+
+	switch( relational->relational ) {
+	case VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_EQUAL: 	SWITCH( ==, CEQUAL ); break;
+	case VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_NOTEQUAL:SWITCH( !=, CNOTEQUAL ); break;
+	case VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESS: 	SWITCH( <, CLESS ); break;
+	case VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESSEQ: 	SWITCH( <=, CLESSEQ ); break;
+
+	default:
+		g_assert( 0 );
+	}
+}
+
+/* Save a bit of typing.
+ */
+#define UC VIPS_FORMAT_UCHAR
+#define C VIPS_FORMAT_CHAR
+#define US VIPS_FORMAT_USHORT
+#define S VIPS_FORMAT_SHORT
+#define UI VIPS_FORMAT_UINT
+#define I VIPS_FORMAT_INT
+#define F VIPS_FORMAT_FLOAT
+#define X VIPS_FORMAT_COMPLEX
+#define D VIPS_FORMAT_DOUBLE
+#define DX VIPS_FORMAT_DPCOMPLEX
+
+static const VipsBandFormat vips_bandfmt_relational[10] = {
+/* UC  C   US  S   UI  I   F   X   D   DX */
+   UC, UC, UC, UC, UC, UC, UC, UC, UC, UC
+};
+
+static void
+vips_relational_class_init( VipsRelationalClass *class )
+{
+	GObjectClass *gobject_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS( class );
+	VipsObjectClass *object_class = (VipsObjectClass *) class;
+	VipsArithmeticClass *aclass = VIPS_ARITHMETIC_CLASS( class );
+
+	gobject_class->set_property = vips_object_set_property;
+	gobject_class->get_property = vips_object_get_property;
+
+	object_class->nickname = "relational";
+	object_class->description = 
+		_( "a relational operation on a pair of images" );
+	object_class->build = vips_relational_build;
+
+	vips_arithmetic_set_format_table( aclass, vips_bandfmt_relational );
+
+	aclass->process_line = vips_relational_buffer;
+
+	VIPS_ARG_ENUM( class, "relational", 200, 
+		_( "Operation" ), 
+		_( "relational to perform" ),
+		VIPS_ARGUMENT_REQUIRED_INPUT,
+		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsRelational, relational ),
+		VIPS_TYPE_OPERATION_RELATIONAL, 
+			VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_EQUAL ); 
+}
+
+static void
+vips_relational_init( VipsRelational *relational )
+{
+}
+
+int
+vips_relational( VipsImage *left, VipsImage *right, VipsImage **out, 
+	VipsOperationRelational relational, ... )
+{
+	va_list ap;
+	int result;
+
+	va_start( ap, relational );
+	result = vips_call_split( "relational", ap, left, right, out, 
+		relational );
+	va_end( ap );
+
+	return( result );
+}
diff --git a/libvips/deprecated/vips7compat.c b/libvips/deprecated/vips7compat.c
index d95a29d7..4e2f42e5 100644
--- a/libvips/deprecated/vips7compat.c
+++ b/libvips/deprecated/vips7compat.c
@@ -1680,3 +1680,63 @@ im_ceil( IMAGE *in, IMAGE *out )
 {
 	return( vips__round( in, out, VIPS_OPERATION_ROUND_CEIL ) );
 }
+
+static int 
+vips__relational( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out, 
+	VipsOperationRelational relational )
+{
+	VipsImage *t;
+
+	if( vips_relational( in1, in2, &t, relational,
+		NULL ) )
+		return( -1 );
+	if( vips_image_write( t, out ) ) {
+		g_object_unref( t );
+		return( -1 );
+	}
+	g_object_unref( t );
+
+	return( 0 );
+}
+
+int 
+im_equal( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
+{
+	return( vips__relational( in1, in2, out, 
+		VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_EQUAL ) );
+}
+
+int 
+im_notequal( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
+{
+	return( vips__relational( in1, in2, out, 
+		VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_NOTEQUAL ) );
+}
+
+int 
+im_less( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
+{
+	return( vips__relational( in1, in2, out, 
+		VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESS ) );
+}
+
+int 
+im_lesseq( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
+{
+	return( vips__relational( in1, in2, out, 
+		VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESSEQ ) );
+}
+
+int 
+im_more( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
+{
+	return( vips__relational( in1, in2, out, 
+		VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MORE ) );
+}
+
+int 
+im_moreeq( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
+{
+	return( vips__relational( in1, in2, out, 
+		VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MOREEQ ) );
+}
diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/arithmetic.h b/libvips/include/vips/arithmetic.h
index ed67f3b7..f05eeb29 100644
--- a/libvips/include/vips/arithmetic.h
+++ b/libvips/include/vips/arithmetic.h
@@ -81,6 +81,27 @@ typedef enum {
 	VIPS_OPERATION_ROUND_LAST
 } VipsOperationRound;
 
+/** 
+ * VipsOperationRelational:
+ * @VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_EQUAL: ==
+ * @VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_NOTEQUAL: !=
+ * @VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESS: <
+ * @VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESSEQ: <=
+ * @VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MORE: >
+ * @VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MOREEQ: >=
+ *
+ * See also: vips_relational().
+ */
+typedef enum {
+	VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_EQUAL,
+	VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_NOTEQUAL,
+	VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESS,
+	VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESSEQ,
+	VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MORE,
+	VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MOREEQ,
+	VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LAST
+} VipsOperationRelational;
+
 int vips_add( VipsImage *left, VipsImage *right, VipsImage **out, ... )
 	__attribute__((sentinel));
 int vips_subtract( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage **out, ... )
@@ -119,6 +140,9 @@ int vips_recomb( VipsImage *in, VipsImage **out, VipsImage *m, ... )
 	__attribute__((sentinel));
 int vips_round( VipsImage *in, VipsImage **out, VipsOperationRound round, ... )
 	__attribute__((sentinel));
+int vips_relational( VipsImage *left, VipsImage *right, VipsImage **out, 
+	VipsOperationRelational relational, ... )
+	__attribute__((sentinel));
 
 
 
diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/enumtypes.h b/libvips/include/vips/enumtypes.h
index 545d9f60..a97b4405 100644
--- a/libvips/include/vips/enumtypes.h
+++ b/libvips/include/vips/enumtypes.h
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ GType vips_operation_math_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 #define VIPS_TYPE_OPERATION_MATH (vips_operation_math_get_type())
 GType vips_operation_round_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 #define VIPS_TYPE_OPERATION_ROUND (vips_operation_round_get_type())
+GType vips_operation_relational_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
+#define VIPS_TYPE_OPERATION_RELATIONAL (vips_operation_relational_get_type())
 /* enumerations from "../../../libvips/include/vips/conversion.h" */
 GType vips_extend_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 #define VIPS_TYPE_EXTEND (vips_extend_get_type())
diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/relational.h b/libvips/include/vips/relational.h
index c458883b..999ffb7f 100644
--- a/libvips/include/vips/relational.h
+++ b/libvips/include/vips/relational.h
@@ -37,12 +37,6 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif /*__cplusplus*/
 
-int im_equal( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
-int im_notequal( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
-int im_less( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
-int im_lesseq( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
-int im_more( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
-int im_moreeq( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
 int im_equal_vec( VipsImage *in, VipsImage *out, int n, double *c );
 int im_notequal_vec( VipsImage *in, VipsImage *out, int n, double *c );
 int im_less_vec( VipsImage *in, VipsImage *out, int n, double *c );
diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/vips7compat.h b/libvips/include/vips/vips7compat.h
index bd87dd1f..1f15b9b4 100644
--- a/libvips/include/vips/vips7compat.h
+++ b/libvips/include/vips/vips7compat.h
@@ -557,6 +557,13 @@ int im_floor( VipsImage *in, VipsImage *out );
 int im_rint( VipsImage *in, VipsImage *out );
 int im_ceil( VipsImage *in, VipsImage *out );
 
+int im_equal( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
+int im_notequal( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
+int im_less( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
+int im_lesseq( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
+int im_more( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
+int im_moreeq( VipsImage *in1, VipsImage *in2, VipsImage *out );
+
 int im_copy( VipsImage *in, VipsImage *out );
 int im_copy_set( VipsImage *in, VipsImage *out, 
 	VipsInterpretation interpretation, 
diff --git a/libvips/iofuncs/enumtypes.c b/libvips/iofuncs/enumtypes.c
index 45220476..0ba4e36f 100644
--- a/libvips/iofuncs/enumtypes.c
+++ b/libvips/iofuncs/enumtypes.c
@@ -129,6 +129,28 @@ vips_operation_round_get_type( void )
 
 	return( etype );
 }
+GType
+vips_operation_relational_get_type( void )
+{
+	static GType etype = 0;
+
+	if( etype == 0 ) {
+		static const GEnumValue values[] = {
+			{VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_EQUAL, "VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_EQUAL", "equal"},
+			{VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_NOTEQUAL, "VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_NOTEQUAL", "notequal"},
+			{VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESS, "VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESS", "less"},
+			{VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESSEQ, "VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESSEQ", "lesseq"},
+			{VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MORE, "VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MORE", "more"},
+			{VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MOREEQ, "VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MOREEQ", "moreeq"},
+			{VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LAST, "VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LAST", "last"},
+			{0, NULL, NULL}
+		};
+		
+		etype = g_enum_register_static( "VipsOperationRelational", values );
+	}
+
+	return( etype );
+}
 /* enumerations from "../../libvips/include/vips/util.h" */
 GType
 vips_token_get_type( void )
diff --git a/libvips/relational/relational.c b/libvips/relational/relational.c
index 44f7ad2b..fe524fd9 100644
--- a/libvips/relational/relational.c
+++ b/libvips/relational/relational.c
@@ -72,51 +72,6 @@ static int bandfmt_relational[10] = {
    UC, UC, UC, UC, UC, UC, UC, UC, UC, UC,
 };
 
-#define RBINARY( IN, FUN ) { \
-	IN *tp1 = (IN *) p[0]; \
-	IN *tp2 = (IN *) p[1]; \
- 	\
-	for( i = 0; i < ne; i++ ) \
-		FUN( q[i], tp1[i], tp2[i] ); \
-}
-
-#define CBINARY( IN, FUN ) { \
-	IN *tp1 = (IN *) p[0]; \
-	IN *tp2 = (IN *) p[1]; \
- 	\
-	for( i = 0; i < ne; i++ ) { \
-		FUN( q[i], tp1, tp2 ); \
-		\
-		tp1 += 2; \
-		tp2 += 2; \
-	} \
-}
-
-#define BINARY_BUFFER( NAME, RFUN, CFUN ) \
-static void \
-NAME ## _buffer( PEL **p, PEL *q, int n, IMAGE *im ) \
-{ \
-	const int ne = n * im->Bands; \
-	\
-	int i; \
-	\
-        switch( im->BandFmt ) { \
-        case IM_BANDFMT_CHAR:	RBINARY( signed char, RFUN ); break; \
-        case IM_BANDFMT_UCHAR:  RBINARY( unsigned char, RFUN ); break; \
-        case IM_BANDFMT_SHORT:  RBINARY( signed short, RFUN ); break; \
-        case IM_BANDFMT_USHORT: RBINARY( unsigned short, RFUN ); break; \
-        case IM_BANDFMT_INT:    RBINARY( signed int, RFUN ); break; \
-        case IM_BANDFMT_UINT:   RBINARY( unsigned int, RFUN ); break; \
-        case IM_BANDFMT_FLOAT:  RBINARY( float, RFUN ); break; \
-        case IM_BANDFMT_COMPLEX: CBINARY( float, CFUN ); break; \
-        case IM_BANDFMT_DOUBLE: RBINARY( double, RFUN ); break; \
-        case IM_BANDFMT_DPCOMPLEX: CBINARY( double, CFUN ); break; \
-	\
-        default: \
-                g_assert( 0 ); \
-        } \
-}
-
 #define EQUAL_REAL( Q, A, B ) { \
 	if( (A) == (B) ) \
 		Q = 255; \
@@ -131,30 +86,6 @@ NAME ## _buffer( PEL **p, PEL *q, int n, IMAGE *im ) \
 		Q = 0; \
 }
 
-BINARY_BUFFER( EQUAL, EQUAL_REAL, EQUAL_COMPLEX )
-
-/**
- * im_equal:
- * @in1: input #IMAGE 1
- * @in2: input #IMAGE 2
- * @out: output #IMAGE
- *
- * This operation calculates @in1 == @in2 (image element equals image element) 
- * and writes the result to @out. 
- *
- * See also: im_notequal().
- *
- * Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error
- */
-int 
-im_equal( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
-{
-	return( im__arith_binary( "im_equal",
-		in1, in2, out, 
-		bandfmt_relational,
-		(im_wrapmany_fn) EQUAL_buffer, NULL ) );
-}
-
 #define NOTEQUAL_REAL( Q, A, B ) { \
 	if( (A) != (B) ) \
 		Q = 255; \
@@ -169,30 +100,6 @@ im_equal( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
 		Q = 0; \
 }
 
-BINARY_BUFFER( NOTEQUAL, NOTEQUAL_REAL, NOTEQUAL_COMPLEX )
-
-/**
- * im_notequal:
- * @in1: input #IMAGE 1
- * @in2: input #IMAGE 2
- * @out: output #IMAGE
- *
- * This operation calculates @in1 != @in2 (image element does not equal image
- * element) and writes the result to @out. 
- *
- * See also: im_notequal().
- *
- * Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error
- */
-int 
-im_notequal( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
-{
-	return( im__arith_binary( "im_notequal",
-		in1, in2, out, 
-		bandfmt_relational,
-		(im_wrapmany_fn) NOTEQUAL_buffer, NULL ) );
-}
-
 #define LESS_REAL( Q, A, B ) { \
 	if( (A) < (B) ) \
 		Q = 255; \
@@ -210,30 +117,6 @@ im_notequal( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
 		Q = 0; \
 }
 
-BINARY_BUFFER( LESS, LESS_REAL, LESS_COMPLEX )
-
-/**
- * im_less:
- * @in1: input #IMAGE 1
- * @in2: input #IMAGE 2
- * @out: output #IMAGE
- *
- * This operation calculates @in1 < @in2 (image element is less than image
- * element) and writes the result to @out. 
- *
- * See also: im_more().
- *
- * Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error
- */
-int 
-im_less( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
-{
-	return( im__arith_binary( "im_less",
-		in1, in2, out, 
-		bandfmt_relational,
-		(im_wrapmany_fn) LESS_buffer, NULL ) );
-}
-
 #define LESSEQ_REAL( Q, A, B ) { \
 	if( (A) <= (B) ) \
 		Q = 255; \
@@ -251,68 +134,6 @@ im_less( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
 		Q = 0; \
 }
 
-BINARY_BUFFER( LESSEQ, LESSEQ_REAL, LESSEQ_COMPLEX )
-
-/**
- * im_lesseq:
- * @in1: input #IMAGE 1
- * @in2: input #IMAGE 2
- * @out: output #IMAGE
- *
- * This operation calculates @in1 <= @in2 (image element is less than or equal
- * to image elemment) and writes the result to @out. 
- *
- * See also: im_more().
- *
- * Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error
- */
-int 
-im_lesseq( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
-{
-	return( im__arith_binary( "im_lesseq",
-		in1, in2, out, 
-		bandfmt_relational,
-		(im_wrapmany_fn) LESSEQ_buffer, NULL ) );
-}
-
-/**
- * im_more:
- * @in1: input #IMAGE 1
- * @in2: input #IMAGE 2
- * @out: output #IMAGE
- *
- * This operation calculates @in1 > @in2 (image element is greater than 
- * image elemment) and writes the result to @out. 
- *
- * See also: im_less().
- *
- * Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error
- */
-int
-im_more( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
-{
-	return( im_less( in2, in1, out ) );
-}
-
-/**
- * im_moreeq:
- * @in1: input #IMAGE 1
- * @in2: input #IMAGE 2
- * @out: output #IMAGE
- *
- * This operation calculates @in1 >= @in2 (image element is greater than or
- * equal to image element) and writes the result to @out. 
- *
- * See also: im_more().
- *
- * Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error
- */
-int 
-im_moreeq( IMAGE *in1, IMAGE *in2, IMAGE *out )
-{
-	return( im_lesseq( in2, in1, out ) );
-}
-
 #define RCONST1( IN, FUN ) { \
 	IN *tp = (IN *) p; \
 	IN tc = *((IN *) vector); \