An electronic image stabilization method and apparatus has application for use in hand-held video camcorders. The electronic image stabilization apparatus, contained within the camcorder, comprises a definition television (HDTV) image sensor with photosensitive cells, a gimbaled lens configuration and signal processing circuitry. The lens configuration projects a subject image upon only a portion of the image sensor. As the hand-held camcorder is physically jittered, the lens configuration projects the subject image on a different portion of HDTV image sensor. A scanner circuit reads values from the cells, and a threshold circuit compares the values to a pre-determined threshold value. If the photosensitive cell value is greater, the the projected subject image in the larger HDTV image array is determined, only the photosensitive cells illuminated by the projected subject image extracted from the HDTV image sensor. As a result, jitter in the output image, caused by hand-held shakes, is reduce or eliminated.