My usage scenario is like this: I gradually click through the results in the search field. After clicking on one item in the search, it displays the image and hides the search field. If the image is not the one I’m looking for, I have to click the search icon again to expand it, and only after it expands can I click on another search result offered by the search field. So each time, it’s one extra click, which seems trivial for single searches, but if you go through 100 results, you end up clicking 200 times.
In short, this is more a matter of user optimization. From a logical perspective, since the software is focused on searching, I would give the search field a higher visual priority and not unnecessarily hide it under a small icon.
