LICEcap can capture an area of your desktop and save it directly to animated GIF files. Features include: move the screen capture frame while recording, pause and restart recording, with optional inserted text messages, global hotkey (Shift+Space) to toggle pausing while recording, adjustable maximum recording framerate, basic title frame, with or without text, record mouse button presses, display elapsed time in the recording.
You can run multiple LICEcap window simultaneously, even of another LICEcap.
Cross-platform with a version available for Mac OS.