A method relating generally to image processing is disclosed. In such a method, an image is preprocessed for noise suppression and edge detection with filters. The image is hierarchically decomposed to provide an image pyramid. The hierarchical decomposition includes successively down-scaling the image to provide different resolutions of the image corresponding to levels of the image pyramid. The image and the different resolutions of the image provide a set of images. A scene analysis of the set of images is performed. The performing of the scene analysis includes determining qualifications of blocks of the set of images for feature tracking. A subset of the blocks determined to be qualified for the feature tracking is selected. Motion estimation is performed on the subset of the blocks. The motion estimation is performed using a hierarchical set of motion estimation engines corresponding to levels of the image pyramid.