An apparatus and method for efficient image optimized image stitching. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: feature search area identification circuitry/logic to narrow down a feature search area based on possible overlap between two image frames; feature detection circuitry/logic to identify a plurality of feature points in a first image frame of the two image frames; feature matching circuitry/logic to map one or more of the plurality of feature points from the first image frame to corresponding feature points in the right image frame; image frame stitching and blending circuitry/logic to stitch the first image frame and second image frame based on the mapping of the feature points between the two image frames and to blend a portion of the first image frame with a portion of the second image frame.