This paper analyses the efficiency of the Cartesian Genetic Programming (CGP) methodology in the image operator design problem at the functional level. The CGP algorithm is compared with an age layering enhancement of the CGP algorithm by the means of achieved best results and their computational effort. Experimental results show that the Age-Layered Population Structure (ALPS) algorithm combined together with CGP can perform better in the task of image operator design in comparison with a common CGP algorithm.