A system and method for automatically and optically capturing an image in a handheld image capture device. The system includes an imager and an actuated mounting mechanism attached to the imager. The imager has one or more degrees of freedom (DOF) and includes at least one of a pan DOF, a tilt DOF, and a rotate DOF. In certain embodiments, the device can auto-center a selected object of interest in the image frame, auto-zoom in on the selected object of interest, and/or auto-rotate the captured image. The method includes providing an imager having a pan degree of freedom (DOF) and a tilt DOF, capturing an image by the imager to produce an image frame, selecting an object of interest from the captured image, and auto-centering the selected object in the image frame using one or both of the pan DOF and the tilt DOF.