An image stabilized digital image capture device, comprising an image sensor for capturing a digital image; an optical system for imaging a scene onto the image sensor; an image stabilization system; an exposure control system; a memory system; and a processor. The processor is used to perform the steps of determining exposure settings using the exposure control system; selectively engaging the image stabilization system responsive to whether the determined exposure settings satisfy a predefined condition; capturing a digital image of a scene using the image sensor and the selectively engaged image stabilization system; and storing the captured digital image in the memory system.