Aspects of the disclosure relate to capturing panoramic images using a computing device. For example, the computing device may record a set of video frames and tracking features each including one or more features that appear in two or more video frames of the set of video frames within the set of video frames may be determined. A set of frame-based features based on the displacement of the tracking features between two or more video frames of the set of video frames may be determined by the computing device. A set of historical feature values based on the set of frame-based features may also be determined by the computing device. The computing device may determine then whether a user is attempting to capture a panoramic image based on the set of historical feature values. In response, the computing device may capture a panoramic image.