Detailed Tutorial: Convert Your Shorts to the Best MP4

Create Your YouTube Shorts with Wondershare Filmora

An easy and powerful YouTube Shorts editor

Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

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Video production entails a lot more than just composing and sharing your videos. You need the correct format to accomplish some tasks, especially when sharing them online. People use different devices and versions that are not automatically compatible with all video file formats. YouTube Shorts is one such video production platform that lets creators compose compelling short videos for sharing with their audience. More so, Shorts lets you record music, edit your video and get it ready for sharing. But not all roses are smooth, some are thorny and you may find it necessary to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 to enable access by your audience.

In this article

01 Why do we need to download and convert YouTube Shorts video?

02 How can we convert YouTube shorts to mp4?

03 Tutorial for How to Record on GarageBand

Why do we need to download and convert YouTube Shorts video?

Most YouTube Shorts are not easily accessible on mobile devices. Occasionally, users experience YouTube Shorts not showing issue , which prompts them to look for solutions for resolving the problem. You might be wondering whether converting your files is one such solution. Ideally yes! Find below, possible reasons for downloading and converting YouTube Shorts to MP4.

1) Content optimization for other devices

Mobile technology keeps changing and various devices’ versions are continually on the rise. Some devices aren’t compatible with various video formats and codecs . Converting the videos to MP4 opens avenues for access on any device and platform like emails. This is because MP4 files are supported by almost all modern devices and you can optimize videos for operating systems like Android, iOS, Windows, etc.

2) Compression

YouTube Shorts are designed to run for about 15 seconds. This is an indication that they are not fully compressed in terms of codec. Converting the files to MP4 format ensures that the file size is reduced, enabling playing on any platform without buffering. Luckily, there is no quality loss but it’s just the size is made smaller to fit any device.

3) To support animated GIFs

Animated GIFs add value to your videos. However, social media does not support GIFs among other formats. To keep the fun going, you will need to convert your video to accommodate formats like GIFs, among others.

4) Portability

Another reason to get YouTube shorts to MP4 is for portability issues. Since MP4 are highly accessible on numerous devices and platforms, you can easily import your files via USB flash drive and other external hard disks to other devices. With this, there is also no hindrance in sharing your files online and on other platforms.

5) Lossless quality

MP4 file format supports a high degree of lossless output quality as compared to other file formats. MP4 is highly preferred so that the recipient achieves the original output quality of the converted file. With MP4, you can also retain other parameters like title, sample rate, and channel among others.

How can we convert YouTube shorts to mp4?

The importance of converting videos to MP4 format is weighty. But how do you convert YouTube Shorts to MP4? Plenty of apps are available for easy conversion. Both free, paid, and online converter apps can serve the purpose. Let’s check how to convert your files for free with the Freemake app, via an online app, and using the reliable tool, Filmora.

1. Convert YouTube Shorts video to MP4 with Freemake

This is an easy-to-use converter that you use freely to trim your videos as well as convert them to various formats. The drawbacks are that it leaves a watermark on your videos and will bundle you with extra software for installation with its free version. You, however, can evade this if you upgrade to the Premium version.

Step 1. Download Freemake

First, use any browser to download the Freemake app on your computer. Then choose custom installation. You also have the chance to deselect popping optional applications that present themselves for installation.

Step 2. Launch the app

Then open the app and click on the “+” video button. Next, navigate to the video that you wish to convert from YouTube Shorts.

Step 3. Choose the MP4 file

From the list of files, choose to convert your files to MP4 file format. Also, choose a name and location to save your converted video.

Step 4. Convert your video

Finally, click on the “Convert” tab to start the conversion process of your video. You can also make other changes like customizing the output parameters such as codec and resolution to your preferences. Once done, hit the “OK” button to complete the process.

2. 2) Convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 online

Easily engage an online tool to convert YouTube shorts to MP4 popular format with CloudConvert MP4 converter. Besides MP4, this app supports over 200 file formats like WEBM, AVI, MOV, among other formats. More so, you can use the options to control your video resolution and quality. When you convert your video to MP4, you can now easily share your videos over the internet, and converting it online gives you an upper hand. CloudConvert is trusted for data security as it won’t keep any files on its database. It will also give you high-quality file conversions.

Step 1. Select file

First, choose the YouTube Short video that you wish to convert to MP4. You can add your file from your computer or online sources like YouTube into the converter.

Step 2. Customize settings

CloudConvert lets you customize the output settings like video codec, bitrate, resolution, and file format. Just click on the drop-down arrow on every section and choose your preferences. Then hit the “Okay” button at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Step 3. Convert file to MP4

Wait for the YouTube Shorts to be converted to MP4 format. You can then save your files to your computer and share them with friends via other social media apps like Instagram and Facebook. You can also directly post to Shorts as MP4 files.

3) Convert YouTube video to MP4 using Filmora

Using a free video converter like Freemake will leave a watermark on your videos and hinder the quality. You will not also get lossless quality as the original content on YouTube Shorts. In this case, you can engage the best video converter, Filmora, to losslessly convert your videos to quality output.

Key Features of Filmora

• Create high-quality as it gives you lossless content.
• Transform your video into spectacular output with overlays and filters.
• Add background music for optimum entertainment.
• Change your video background with the special effects from the Chroma key tool.
• Advanced editing of text by color, size, font, and animation among other features.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

How to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 with Filmora

Filmora is easy to use and will accommodate both professional and beginner video editors. Follow these steps to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4.

Step 1. Import video clip to Filmora

You can use any device for the conversion process. Filmora supports an array of OS devices like iOS, Android, etc. First, launch the app on your device then click on the “Import Media Files” option.

Step 2. Organize footage

The next step is to drag and drop your video footage to the timeline. Filmora accommodates the merging of several video footages. You can make your videos into one big file. Just organize them according to how you want.

Step 3. Edit your video

Even though this is optional, you can edit your video to add more juice. These include splitting your video via the Splitter button. You can also delete unwanted areas and even add filters and other effects to your preferences.

Step 4. Convert and Export

When you are certain you have the perfect video, click on the “Export” tab to convert your files to MP4 format. Remember to set the final output to MP4 format among the available output options. Then freely play your video on any device and share it with friends on other platforms. There’ll be no hindrance anymore concerning compatibility issues.

Conclusion

You are not limited to using any video file format. Several reasons may also compel you to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4. And this is the best move if you want to reach as many audiences as possible. Remember that users employ different devices and platforms to access such videos. These range from mobile phones, media players, emails, among others. Converting your videos to MP4 enables easy sharing on any platform effortlessly. The best converter tool, Filmora, serves the purpose quite well. You won’t experience any data loss and be assured that your audience gets the same quality as the original file.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video production entails a lot more than just composing and sharing your videos. You need the correct format to accomplish some tasks, especially when sharing them online. People use different devices and versions that are not automatically compatible with all video file formats. YouTube Shorts is one such video production platform that lets creators compose compelling short videos for sharing with their audience. More so, Shorts lets you record music, edit your video and get it ready for sharing. But not all roses are smooth, some are thorny and you may find it necessary to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 to enable access by your audience.

In this article

01 Why do we need to download and convert YouTube Shorts video?

02 How can we convert YouTube shorts to mp4?

03 Tutorial for How to Record on GarageBand

Why do we need to download and convert YouTube Shorts video?

Most YouTube Shorts are not easily accessible on mobile devices. Occasionally, users experience YouTube Shorts not showing issue , which prompts them to look for solutions for resolving the problem. You might be wondering whether converting your files is one such solution. Ideally yes! Find below, possible reasons for downloading and converting YouTube Shorts to MP4.

1) Content optimization for other devices

Mobile technology keeps changing and various devices’ versions are continually on the rise. Some devices aren’t compatible with various video formats and codecs . Converting the videos to MP4 opens avenues for access on any device and platform like emails. This is because MP4 files are supported by almost all modern devices and you can optimize videos for operating systems like Android, iOS, Windows, etc.

2) Compression

YouTube Shorts are designed to run for about 15 seconds. This is an indication that they are not fully compressed in terms of codec. Converting the files to MP4 format ensures that the file size is reduced, enabling playing on any platform without buffering. Luckily, there is no quality loss but it’s just the size is made smaller to fit any device.

3) To support animated GIFs

Animated GIFs add value to your videos. However, social media does not support GIFs among other formats. To keep the fun going, you will need to convert your video to accommodate formats like GIFs, among others.

4) Portability

Another reason to get YouTube shorts to MP4 is for portability issues. Since MP4 are highly accessible on numerous devices and platforms, you can easily import your files via USB flash drive and other external hard disks to other devices. With this, there is also no hindrance in sharing your files online and on other platforms.

5) Lossless quality

MP4 file format supports a high degree of lossless output quality as compared to other file formats. MP4 is highly preferred so that the recipient achieves the original output quality of the converted file. With MP4, you can also retain other parameters like title, sample rate, and channel among others.

How can we convert YouTube shorts to mp4?

The importance of converting videos to MP4 format is weighty. But how do you convert YouTube Shorts to MP4? Plenty of apps are available for easy conversion. Both free, paid, and online converter apps can serve the purpose. Let’s check how to convert your files for free with the Freemake app, via an online app, and using the reliable tool, Filmora.

1. Convert YouTube Shorts video to MP4 with Freemake

This is an easy-to-use converter that you use freely to trim your videos as well as convert them to various formats. The drawbacks are that it leaves a watermark on your videos and will bundle you with extra software for installation with its free version. You, however, can evade this if you upgrade to the Premium version.

Step 1. Download Freemake

First, use any browser to download the Freemake app on your computer. Then choose custom installation. You also have the chance to deselect popping optional applications that present themselves for installation.

Step 2. Launch the app

Then open the app and click on the “+” video button. Next, navigate to the video that you wish to convert from YouTube Shorts.

Step 3. Choose the MP4 file

From the list of files, choose to convert your files to MP4 file format. Also, choose a name and location to save your converted video.

Step 4. Convert your video

Finally, click on the “Convert” tab to start the conversion process of your video. You can also make other changes like customizing the output parameters such as codec and resolution to your preferences. Once done, hit the “OK” button to complete the process.

2. 2) Convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 online

Easily engage an online tool to convert YouTube shorts to MP4 popular format with CloudConvert MP4 converter. Besides MP4, this app supports over 200 file formats like WEBM, AVI, MOV, among other formats. More so, you can use the options to control your video resolution and quality. When you convert your video to MP4, you can now easily share your videos over the internet, and converting it online gives you an upper hand. CloudConvert is trusted for data security as it won’t keep any files on its database. It will also give you high-quality file conversions.

Step 1. Select file

First, choose the YouTube Short video that you wish to convert to MP4. You can add your file from your computer or online sources like YouTube into the converter.

Step 2. Customize settings

CloudConvert lets you customize the output settings like video codec, bitrate, resolution, and file format. Just click on the drop-down arrow on every section and choose your preferences. Then hit the “Okay” button at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Step 3. Convert file to MP4

Wait for the YouTube Shorts to be converted to MP4 format. You can then save your files to your computer and share them with friends via other social media apps like Instagram and Facebook. You can also directly post to Shorts as MP4 files.

3) Convert YouTube video to MP4 using Filmora

Using a free video converter like Freemake will leave a watermark on your videos and hinder the quality. You will not also get lossless quality as the original content on YouTube Shorts. In this case, you can engage the best video converter, Filmora, to losslessly convert your videos to quality output.

Key Features of Filmora

• Create high-quality as it gives you lossless content.
• Transform your video into spectacular output with overlays and filters.
• Add background music for optimum entertainment.
• Change your video background with the special effects from the Chroma key tool.
• Advanced editing of text by color, size, font, and animation among other features.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

How to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 with Filmora

Filmora is easy to use and will accommodate both professional and beginner video editors. Follow these steps to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4.

Step 1. Import video clip to Filmora

You can use any device for the conversion process. Filmora supports an array of OS devices like iOS, Android, etc. First, launch the app on your device then click on the “Import Media Files” option.

Step 2. Organize footage

The next step is to drag and drop your video footage to the timeline. Filmora accommodates the merging of several video footages. You can make your videos into one big file. Just organize them according to how you want.

Step 3. Edit your video

Even though this is optional, you can edit your video to add more juice. These include splitting your video via the Splitter button. You can also delete unwanted areas and even add filters and other effects to your preferences.

Step 4. Convert and Export

When you are certain you have the perfect video, click on the “Export” tab to convert your files to MP4 format. Remember to set the final output to MP4 format among the available output options. Then freely play your video on any device and share it with friends on other platforms. There’ll be no hindrance anymore concerning compatibility issues.

Conclusion

You are not limited to using any video file format. Several reasons may also compel you to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4. And this is the best move if you want to reach as many audiences as possible. Remember that users employ different devices and platforms to access such videos. These range from mobile phones, media players, emails, among others. Converting your videos to MP4 enables easy sharing on any platform effortlessly. The best converter tool, Filmora, serves the purpose quite well. You won’t experience any data loss and be assured that your audience gets the same quality as the original file.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video production entails a lot more than just composing and sharing your videos. You need the correct format to accomplish some tasks, especially when sharing them online. People use different devices and versions that are not automatically compatible with all video file formats. YouTube Shorts is one such video production platform that lets creators compose compelling short videos for sharing with their audience. More so, Shorts lets you record music, edit your video and get it ready for sharing. But not all roses are smooth, some are thorny and you may find it necessary to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 to enable access by your audience.

In this article

01 Why do we need to download and convert YouTube Shorts video?

02 How can we convert YouTube shorts to mp4?

03 Tutorial for How to Record on GarageBand

Why do we need to download and convert YouTube Shorts video?

Most YouTube Shorts are not easily accessible on mobile devices. Occasionally, users experience YouTube Shorts not showing issue , which prompts them to look for solutions for resolving the problem. You might be wondering whether converting your files is one such solution. Ideally yes! Find below, possible reasons for downloading and converting YouTube Shorts to MP4.

1) Content optimization for other devices

Mobile technology keeps changing and various devices’ versions are continually on the rise. Some devices aren’t compatible with various video formats and codecs . Converting the videos to MP4 opens avenues for access on any device and platform like emails. This is because MP4 files are supported by almost all modern devices and you can optimize videos for operating systems like Android, iOS, Windows, etc.

2) Compression

YouTube Shorts are designed to run for about 15 seconds. This is an indication that they are not fully compressed in terms of codec. Converting the files to MP4 format ensures that the file size is reduced, enabling playing on any platform without buffering. Luckily, there is no quality loss but it’s just the size is made smaller to fit any device.

3) To support animated GIFs

Animated GIFs add value to your videos. However, social media does not support GIFs among other formats. To keep the fun going, you will need to convert your video to accommodate formats like GIFs, among others.

4) Portability

Another reason to get YouTube shorts to MP4 is for portability issues. Since MP4 are highly accessible on numerous devices and platforms, you can easily import your files via USB flash drive and other external hard disks to other devices. With this, there is also no hindrance in sharing your files online and on other platforms.

5) Lossless quality

MP4 file format supports a high degree of lossless output quality as compared to other file formats. MP4 is highly preferred so that the recipient achieves the original output quality of the converted file. With MP4, you can also retain other parameters like title, sample rate, and channel among others.

How can we convert YouTube shorts to mp4?

The importance of converting videos to MP4 format is weighty. But how do you convert YouTube Shorts to MP4? Plenty of apps are available for easy conversion. Both free, paid, and online converter apps can serve the purpose. Let’s check how to convert your files for free with the Freemake app, via an online app, and using the reliable tool, Filmora.

1. Convert YouTube Shorts video to MP4 with Freemake

This is an easy-to-use converter that you use freely to trim your videos as well as convert them to various formats. The drawbacks are that it leaves a watermark on your videos and will bundle you with extra software for installation with its free version. You, however, can evade this if you upgrade to the Premium version.

Step 1. Download Freemake

First, use any browser to download the Freemake app on your computer. Then choose custom installation. You also have the chance to deselect popping optional applications that present themselves for installation.

Step 2. Launch the app

Then open the app and click on the “+” video button. Next, navigate to the video that you wish to convert from YouTube Shorts.

Step 3. Choose the MP4 file

From the list of files, choose to convert your files to MP4 file format. Also, choose a name and location to save your converted video.

Step 4. Convert your video

Finally, click on the “Convert” tab to start the conversion process of your video. You can also make other changes like customizing the output parameters such as codec and resolution to your preferences. Once done, hit the “OK” button to complete the process.

2. 2) Convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 online

Easily engage an online tool to convert YouTube shorts to MP4 popular format with CloudConvert MP4 converter. Besides MP4, this app supports over 200 file formats like WEBM, AVI, MOV, among other formats. More so, you can use the options to control your video resolution and quality. When you convert your video to MP4, you can now easily share your videos over the internet, and converting it online gives you an upper hand. CloudConvert is trusted for data security as it won’t keep any files on its database. It will also give you high-quality file conversions.

Step 1. Select file

First, choose the YouTube Short video that you wish to convert to MP4. You can add your file from your computer or online sources like YouTube into the converter.

Step 2. Customize settings

CloudConvert lets you customize the output settings like video codec, bitrate, resolution, and file format. Just click on the drop-down arrow on every section and choose your preferences. Then hit the “Okay” button at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Step 3. Convert file to MP4

Wait for the YouTube Shorts to be converted to MP4 format. You can then save your files to your computer and share them with friends via other social media apps like Instagram and Facebook. You can also directly post to Shorts as MP4 files.

3) Convert YouTube video to MP4 using Filmora

Using a free video converter like Freemake will leave a watermark on your videos and hinder the quality. You will not also get lossless quality as the original content on YouTube Shorts. In this case, you can engage the best video converter, Filmora, to losslessly convert your videos to quality output.

Key Features of Filmora

• Create high-quality as it gives you lossless content.
• Transform your video into spectacular output with overlays and filters.
• Add background music for optimum entertainment.
• Change your video background with the special effects from the Chroma key tool.
• Advanced editing of text by color, size, font, and animation among other features.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

How to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 with Filmora

Filmora is easy to use and will accommodate both professional and beginner video editors. Follow these steps to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4.

Step 1. Import video clip to Filmora

You can use any device for the conversion process. Filmora supports an array of OS devices like iOS, Android, etc. First, launch the app on your device then click on the “Import Media Files” option.

Step 2. Organize footage

The next step is to drag and drop your video footage to the timeline. Filmora accommodates the merging of several video footages. You can make your videos into one big file. Just organize them according to how you want.

Step 3. Edit your video

Even though this is optional, you can edit your video to add more juice. These include splitting your video via the Splitter button. You can also delete unwanted areas and even add filters and other effects to your preferences.

Step 4. Convert and Export

When you are certain you have the perfect video, click on the “Export” tab to convert your files to MP4 format. Remember to set the final output to MP4 format among the available output options. Then freely play your video on any device and share it with friends on other platforms. There’ll be no hindrance anymore concerning compatibility issues.

Conclusion

You are not limited to using any video file format. Several reasons may also compel you to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4. And this is the best move if you want to reach as many audiences as possible. Remember that users employ different devices and platforms to access such videos. These range from mobile phones, media players, emails, among others. Converting your videos to MP4 enables easy sharing on any platform effortlessly. The best converter tool, Filmora, serves the purpose quite well. You won’t experience any data loss and be assured that your audience gets the same quality as the original file.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video production entails a lot more than just composing and sharing your videos. You need the correct format to accomplish some tasks, especially when sharing them online. People use different devices and versions that are not automatically compatible with all video file formats. YouTube Shorts is one such video production platform that lets creators compose compelling short videos for sharing with their audience. More so, Shorts lets you record music, edit your video and get it ready for sharing. But not all roses are smooth, some are thorny and you may find it necessary to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 to enable access by your audience.

In this article

01 Why do we need to download and convert YouTube Shorts video?

02 How can we convert YouTube shorts to mp4?

03 Tutorial for How to Record on GarageBand

Why do we need to download and convert YouTube Shorts video?

Most YouTube Shorts are not easily accessible on mobile devices. Occasionally, users experience YouTube Shorts not showing issue , which prompts them to look for solutions for resolving the problem. You might be wondering whether converting your files is one such solution. Ideally yes! Find below, possible reasons for downloading and converting YouTube Shorts to MP4.

1) Content optimization for other devices

Mobile technology keeps changing and various devices’ versions are continually on the rise. Some devices aren’t compatible with various video formats and codecs . Converting the videos to MP4 opens avenues for access on any device and platform like emails. This is because MP4 files are supported by almost all modern devices and you can optimize videos for operating systems like Android, iOS, Windows, etc.

2) Compression

YouTube Shorts are designed to run for about 15 seconds. This is an indication that they are not fully compressed in terms of codec. Converting the files to MP4 format ensures that the file size is reduced, enabling playing on any platform without buffering. Luckily, there is no quality loss but it’s just the size is made smaller to fit any device.

3) To support animated GIFs

Animated GIFs add value to your videos. However, social media does not support GIFs among other formats. To keep the fun going, you will need to convert your video to accommodate formats like GIFs, among others.

4) Portability

Another reason to get YouTube shorts to MP4 is for portability issues. Since MP4 are highly accessible on numerous devices and platforms, you can easily import your files via USB flash drive and other external hard disks to other devices. With this, there is also no hindrance in sharing your files online and on other platforms.

5) Lossless quality

MP4 file format supports a high degree of lossless output quality as compared to other file formats. MP4 is highly preferred so that the recipient achieves the original output quality of the converted file. With MP4, you can also retain other parameters like title, sample rate, and channel among others.

How can we convert YouTube shorts to mp4?

The importance of converting videos to MP4 format is weighty. But how do you convert YouTube Shorts to MP4? Plenty of apps are available for easy conversion. Both free, paid, and online converter apps can serve the purpose. Let’s check how to convert your files for free with the Freemake app, via an online app, and using the reliable tool, Filmora.

1. Convert YouTube Shorts video to MP4 with Freemake

This is an easy-to-use converter that you use freely to trim your videos as well as convert them to various formats. The drawbacks are that it leaves a watermark on your videos and will bundle you with extra software for installation with its free version. You, however, can evade this if you upgrade to the Premium version.

Step 1. Download Freemake

First, use any browser to download the Freemake app on your computer. Then choose custom installation. You also have the chance to deselect popping optional applications that present themselves for installation.

Step 2. Launch the app

Then open the app and click on the “+” video button. Next, navigate to the video that you wish to convert from YouTube Shorts.

Step 3. Choose the MP4 file

From the list of files, choose to convert your files to MP4 file format. Also, choose a name and location to save your converted video.

Step 4. Convert your video

Finally, click on the “Convert” tab to start the conversion process of your video. You can also make other changes like customizing the output parameters such as codec and resolution to your preferences. Once done, hit the “OK” button to complete the process.

2. 2) Convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 online

Easily engage an online tool to convert YouTube shorts to MP4 popular format with CloudConvert MP4 converter. Besides MP4, this app supports over 200 file formats like WEBM, AVI, MOV, among other formats. More so, you can use the options to control your video resolution and quality. When you convert your video to MP4, you can now easily share your videos over the internet, and converting it online gives you an upper hand. CloudConvert is trusted for data security as it won’t keep any files on its database. It will also give you high-quality file conversions.

Step 1. Select file

First, choose the YouTube Short video that you wish to convert to MP4. You can add your file from your computer or online sources like YouTube into the converter.

Step 2. Customize settings

CloudConvert lets you customize the output settings like video codec, bitrate, resolution, and file format. Just click on the drop-down arrow on every section and choose your preferences. Then hit the “Okay” button at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Step 3. Convert file to MP4

Wait for the YouTube Shorts to be converted to MP4 format. You can then save your files to your computer and share them with friends via other social media apps like Instagram and Facebook. You can also directly post to Shorts as MP4 files.

3) Convert YouTube video to MP4 using Filmora

Using a free video converter like Freemake will leave a watermark on your videos and hinder the quality. You will not also get lossless quality as the original content on YouTube Shorts. In this case, you can engage the best video converter, Filmora, to losslessly convert your videos to quality output.

Key Features of Filmora

• Create high-quality as it gives you lossless content.
• Transform your video into spectacular output with overlays and filters.
• Add background music for optimum entertainment.
• Change your video background with the special effects from the Chroma key tool.
• Advanced editing of text by color, size, font, and animation among other features.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

How to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4 with Filmora

Filmora is easy to use and will accommodate both professional and beginner video editors. Follow these steps to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4.

Step 1. Import video clip to Filmora

You can use any device for the conversion process. Filmora supports an array of OS devices like iOS, Android, etc. First, launch the app on your device then click on the “Import Media Files” option.

Step 2. Organize footage

The next step is to drag and drop your video footage to the timeline. Filmora accommodates the merging of several video footages. You can make your videos into one big file. Just organize them according to how you want.

Step 3. Edit your video

Even though this is optional, you can edit your video to add more juice. These include splitting your video via the Splitter button. You can also delete unwanted areas and even add filters and other effects to your preferences.

Step 4. Convert and Export

When you are certain you have the perfect video, click on the “Export” tab to convert your files to MP4 format. Remember to set the final output to MP4 format among the available output options. Then freely play your video on any device and share it with friends on other platforms. There’ll be no hindrance anymore concerning compatibility issues.

Conclusion

You are not limited to using any video file format. Several reasons may also compel you to convert YouTube Shorts to MP4. And this is the best move if you want to reach as many audiences as possible. Remember that users employ different devices and platforms to access such videos. These range from mobile phones, media players, emails, among others. Converting your videos to MP4 enables easy sharing on any platform effortlessly. The best converter tool, Filmora, serves the purpose quite well. You won’t experience any data loss and be assured that your audience gets the same quality as the original file.

The Right Tools For Your YouTube Journey - Camera Lenses Explained

A Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

The staple of any vlog is the talking headshot, a shot of the speaker talking directly to the audience. You can compose this shot with different kinds of lenses for your interchangeable lens camera.

But which kind of lens is the right lens for you as a vlogger?

In this article, I’m going to help you figure that out.

• Part 1: Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
• Part 2: Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
• Part 3: Crop Factor
• Part 4: Focal Length Equivalency Table
• Part 5: Aperture
• Part 6: Vlogging With a Fast Lens
• Part 7: Optical Image Stabilization

Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto

There are three main ranges in focal lengths that camera lenses can be categorized into wide, standard, and telephoto.

Wide-Angle Lens

Wide-angle lenses can “see more.” They allow more of your scene to fit inside your frame. Objects that are closer to the lens appear much bigger while objects that are further away appear even smaller. Perspectives are also enhanced, making close objects and people that just make it into the sides of the frame appear more stretched out. Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, wide-angle lenses will appear the least zoomed in.

Standard Lens

With standard lenses or normal lenses, you won’t get the stretched out objects or enhanced perspectives that you get from wide-angle lenses. Instead, standard lenses are meant to see scenes as the natural human eye is meant to see them. If you shoot a scene with both a wide-angle lens and a standard lens from the same position, you’ll notice that less of the scene fits into your frame. Standard lenses will appear more zoomed-in than wide-angle lenses, but less zoomed-in than telephoto lenses.

Telephoto Lens

Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, telephoto lenses will appear the most zoomed in. This can be beneficial for the shooter who wants to get a closer shot of a scene without having to physically be in close proximity to the scene. Objects that are further away in the background also appear larger and closer than they would appear on wide-angle or standard lenses.

Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group

You can get your talking head footage using lenses from any of the three focal length groups. Depending on how you plan to vlog most of the time, though, one of the three focal lengths might be more suitable for you.

When to vlog with a wide-angle lens

Wide-angle lenses are the most commonly used lenses for vlogging. Wide-angle lenses are great when you need to be close to your camera. This might be the case for you if your recording space is small or if you want to film yourself as you hold your camera up with your own hand.

Being close to your camera not only gives you the option to use your camera’s built-in microphone, but it also gives you the option to make use of camera-mounted shotgun microphones.

When to vlog with a standard lens

Standard lenses are great when you have more space to be further away from your camera. The perspectives in your shot will look more natural through a standard lens, making your talking head footage feel more corporate or professional. You’ll also be able to get blurrier backgrounds using a standard lens versus a wide-angle lens.

Being further away from your camera, however, means that you’ll have to use a separate microphone positioned closer to you.

When to vlog with a telephoto lens

As telephoto lenses are even more zoomed in, you’ll need to be even further away from your camera to fit yourself inside your camera frame. Why would any vlogger ever need to be that far away from their camera? One word… teleprompter. If you want or need to stick to a script, you’ll have to be far away enough from your camera that it doesn’t appear like your eyes are scanning left to right. You then close in the distance with a telephoto lens.

In the above video, Marcos Rocha compares different focal lengths for talking head videos. Which focal length range do you like the look of?

Crop Factor

Focal lengths in camera lenses are measured in millimeters. You can vlog yourself handheld with a 24mm lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor (the sensor is the piece of hardware inside your camera that turns the light it receives into a digital image). But if you use a 24mm lens on a camera with a smaller sensor, like an APS-C sensor or even smaller Micro 4/3 sensor, more of you will get cropped out (see below).

In order to make up for the cropping that occurs, you will need to use a wider lens on cameras with smaller sensors to get the same shot you’d get with a full-frame camera.

Focal Length Equivalency Table

This table shows you the focal lengths needed to achieve the same shot between cameras with different sensor sizes. In order to take a shot as wide as the shot I took of myself with the 24mm lens on my full-frame camera, I would need a 15mm lens on an APS-C sensor camera or a 12mm lens on a micro 4/3 camera.

Focal Length / Sensor	Full Frame	APS-C	Micro 4/3
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	16mm	10mm	8mm
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	18mm	11mm	9mm
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	24mm	15mm	12mm
Wide	35mm	22mm	18mm
Standard	50mm	31mm	25mm
Telephoto	70mm	44mm	35mm
Telephoto	100mm	63mm	50mm
Telephoto	200mm	125mm	100mm

Aperture

The next thing to consider when you’re looking for a lens is the aperture, the hole (often adjustable) within the lens that lets light in. Aperture for camera lenses is measured in f-stops (f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.0) - the smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture (bigger hole letting even more light in).

Because larger aperture lenses let more light in, they need a shorter time for cameras to compose an image. This is why larger aperture lenses are also called “fast” lenses.

Fast lenses are more expensive because they cost more to produce. There’s a lot more that goes into them, including larger and higher quality glass elements.

But do you even need a fast lens?

Vlogging With a Fast Lens

Pros of Vlogging With a Fast Lens

• Better low-light performance
• Better autofocus performance
• Better “bokeh” (out-of-focus areas, like your background, having that nice blurry look that you see in a lot of movies)

Cons of Vlogging With a Fast Lens

• More expensive
• Moving subjects more likely to get out of focus when shooting with a large aperture
• Better continuous autofocus performance needed when shooting moving subjects with a large aperture

Optical Image Stabilization

Finally, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want your lens to have built-in optical image stabilization (OIS).

OIS is very beneficial to have on a lens if you’re a vlogger who films mostly handheld footage. Although this technology adds to the price of your lens as well, it can greatly help you to capture smoother footage that may otherwise be shaky. Nikon calls this technology “Vibration Reduction” (VR) for their lenses.

In the above video, you can see how much OIS can help to stabilize your footage. MicBergsma simultaneously compares the footage between two GoPro Hero5 Blacks, one with OIS on and one with OIS off.

If, however, you are shooting most of your vlogs on a tripod, you won’t need a lens with OIS.

Looking for ways to set up your talking-head shot for YouTube with any of these lenses? Check out our post on 4 Ways To Set Up Your Talking-Head Shots For YouTube .

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

The staple of any vlog is the talking headshot, a shot of the speaker talking directly to the audience. You can compose this shot with different kinds of lenses for your interchangeable lens camera.

But which kind of lens is the right lens for you as a vlogger?

In this article, I’m going to help you figure that out.

• Part 1: Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
• Part 2: Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
• Part 3: Crop Factor
• Part 4: Focal Length Equivalency Table
• Part 5: Aperture
• Part 6: Vlogging With a Fast Lens
• Part 7: Optical Image Stabilization

Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto

There are three main ranges in focal lengths that camera lenses can be categorized into wide, standard, and telephoto.

Wide-Angle Lens

Wide-angle lenses can “see more.” They allow more of your scene to fit inside your frame. Objects that are closer to the lens appear much bigger while objects that are further away appear even smaller. Perspectives are also enhanced, making close objects and people that just make it into the sides of the frame appear more stretched out. Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, wide-angle lenses will appear the least zoomed in.

Standard Lens

With standard lenses or normal lenses, you won’t get the stretched out objects or enhanced perspectives that you get from wide-angle lenses. Instead, standard lenses are meant to see scenes as the natural human eye is meant to see them. If you shoot a scene with both a wide-angle lens and a standard lens from the same position, you’ll notice that less of the scene fits into your frame. Standard lenses will appear more zoomed-in than wide-angle lenses, but less zoomed-in than telephoto lenses.

Telephoto Lens

Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, telephoto lenses will appear the most zoomed in. This can be beneficial for the shooter who wants to get a closer shot of a scene without having to physically be in close proximity to the scene. Objects that are further away in the background also appear larger and closer than they would appear on wide-angle or standard lenses.

Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group

You can get your talking head footage using lenses from any of the three focal length groups. Depending on how you plan to vlog most of the time, though, one of the three focal lengths might be more suitable for you.

When to vlog with a wide-angle lens

Wide-angle lenses are the most commonly used lenses for vlogging. Wide-angle lenses are great when you need to be close to your camera. This might be the case for you if your recording space is small or if you want to film yourself as you hold your camera up with your own hand.

Being close to your camera not only gives you the option to use your camera’s built-in microphone, but it also gives you the option to make use of camera-mounted shotgun microphones.

When to vlog with a standard lens

Standard lenses are great when you have more space to be further away from your camera. The perspectives in your shot will look more natural through a standard lens, making your talking head footage feel more corporate or professional. You’ll also be able to get blurrier backgrounds using a standard lens versus a wide-angle lens.

Being further away from your camera, however, means that you’ll have to use a separate microphone positioned closer to you.

When to vlog with a telephoto lens

As telephoto lenses are even more zoomed in, you’ll need to be even further away from your camera to fit yourself inside your camera frame. Why would any vlogger ever need to be that far away from their camera? One word… teleprompter. If you want or need to stick to a script, you’ll have to be far away enough from your camera that it doesn’t appear like your eyes are scanning left to right. You then close in the distance with a telephoto lens.

In the above video, Marcos Rocha compares different focal lengths for talking head videos. Which focal length range do you like the look of?

Crop Factor

Focal lengths in camera lenses are measured in millimeters. You can vlog yourself handheld with a 24mm lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor (the sensor is the piece of hardware inside your camera that turns the light it receives into a digital image). But if you use a 24mm lens on a camera with a smaller sensor, like an APS-C sensor or even smaller Micro 4/3 sensor, more of you will get cropped out (see below).

In order to make up for the cropping that occurs, you will need to use a wider lens on cameras with smaller sensors to get the same shot you’d get with a full-frame camera.

Focal Length Equivalency Table

This table shows you the focal lengths needed to achieve the same shot between cameras with different sensor sizes. In order to take a shot as wide as the shot I took of myself with the 24mm lens on my full-frame camera, I would need a 15mm lens on an APS-C sensor camera or a 12mm lens on a micro 4/3 camera.

Focal Length / Sensor	Full Frame	APS-C	Micro 4/3
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	16mm	10mm	8mm
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	18mm	11mm	9mm
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	24mm	15mm	12mm
Wide	35mm	22mm	18mm
Standard	50mm	31mm	25mm
Telephoto	70mm	44mm	35mm
Telephoto	100mm	63mm	50mm
Telephoto	200mm	125mm	100mm

Aperture

The next thing to consider when you’re looking for a lens is the aperture, the hole (often adjustable) within the lens that lets light in. Aperture for camera lenses is measured in f-stops (f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.0) - the smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture (bigger hole letting even more light in).

Because larger aperture lenses let more light in, they need a shorter time for cameras to compose an image. This is why larger aperture lenses are also called “fast” lenses.

Fast lenses are more expensive because they cost more to produce. There’s a lot more that goes into them, including larger and higher quality glass elements.

But do you even need a fast lens?

Vlogging With a Fast Lens

Pros of Vlogging With a Fast Lens

• Better low-light performance
• Better autofocus performance
• Better “bokeh” (out-of-focus areas, like your background, having that nice blurry look that you see in a lot of movies)

Cons of Vlogging With a Fast Lens

• More expensive
• Moving subjects more likely to get out of focus when shooting with a large aperture
• Better continuous autofocus performance needed when shooting moving subjects with a large aperture

Optical Image Stabilization

Finally, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want your lens to have built-in optical image stabilization (OIS).

OIS is very beneficial to have on a lens if you’re a vlogger who films mostly handheld footage. Although this technology adds to the price of your lens as well, it can greatly help you to capture smoother footage that may otherwise be shaky. Nikon calls this technology “Vibration Reduction” (VR) for their lenses.

In the above video, you can see how much OIS can help to stabilize your footage. MicBergsma simultaneously compares the footage between two GoPro Hero5 Blacks, one with OIS on and one with OIS off.

If, however, you are shooting most of your vlogs on a tripod, you won’t need a lens with OIS.

Looking for ways to set up your talking-head shot for YouTube with any of these lenses? Check out our post on 4 Ways To Set Up Your Talking-Head Shots For YouTube .

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

The staple of any vlog is the talking headshot, a shot of the speaker talking directly to the audience. You can compose this shot with different kinds of lenses for your interchangeable lens camera.

But which kind of lens is the right lens for you as a vlogger?

In this article, I’m going to help you figure that out.

• Part 1: Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
• Part 2: Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
• Part 3: Crop Factor
• Part 4: Focal Length Equivalency Table
• Part 5: Aperture
• Part 6: Vlogging With a Fast Lens
• Part 7: Optical Image Stabilization

Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto

There are three main ranges in focal lengths that camera lenses can be categorized into wide, standard, and telephoto.

Wide-Angle Lens

Wide-angle lenses can “see more.” They allow more of your scene to fit inside your frame. Objects that are closer to the lens appear much bigger while objects that are further away appear even smaller. Perspectives are also enhanced, making close objects and people that just make it into the sides of the frame appear more stretched out. Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, wide-angle lenses will appear the least zoomed in.

Standard Lens

With standard lenses or normal lenses, you won’t get the stretched out objects or enhanced perspectives that you get from wide-angle lenses. Instead, standard lenses are meant to see scenes as the natural human eye is meant to see them. If you shoot a scene with both a wide-angle lens and a standard lens from the same position, you’ll notice that less of the scene fits into your frame. Standard lenses will appear more zoomed-in than wide-angle lenses, but less zoomed-in than telephoto lenses.

Telephoto Lens

Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, telephoto lenses will appear the most zoomed in. This can be beneficial for the shooter who wants to get a closer shot of a scene without having to physically be in close proximity to the scene. Objects that are further away in the background also appear larger and closer than they would appear on wide-angle or standard lenses.

Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group

You can get your talking head footage using lenses from any of the three focal length groups. Depending on how you plan to vlog most of the time, though, one of the three focal lengths might be more suitable for you.

When to vlog with a wide-angle lens

Wide-angle lenses are the most commonly used lenses for vlogging. Wide-angle lenses are great when you need to be close to your camera. This might be the case for you if your recording space is small or if you want to film yourself as you hold your camera up with your own hand.

Being close to your camera not only gives you the option to use your camera’s built-in microphone, but it also gives you the option to make use of camera-mounted shotgun microphones.

When to vlog with a standard lens

Standard lenses are great when you have more space to be further away from your camera. The perspectives in your shot will look more natural through a standard lens, making your talking head footage feel more corporate or professional. You’ll also be able to get blurrier backgrounds using a standard lens versus a wide-angle lens.

Being further away from your camera, however, means that you’ll have to use a separate microphone positioned closer to you.

When to vlog with a telephoto lens

As telephoto lenses are even more zoomed in, you’ll need to be even further away from your camera to fit yourself inside your camera frame. Why would any vlogger ever need to be that far away from their camera? One word… teleprompter. If you want or need to stick to a script, you’ll have to be far away enough from your camera that it doesn’t appear like your eyes are scanning left to right. You then close in the distance with a telephoto lens.

In the above video, Marcos Rocha compares different focal lengths for talking head videos. Which focal length range do you like the look of?

Crop Factor

Focal lengths in camera lenses are measured in millimeters. You can vlog yourself handheld with a 24mm lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor (the sensor is the piece of hardware inside your camera that turns the light it receives into a digital image). But if you use a 24mm lens on a camera with a smaller sensor, like an APS-C sensor or even smaller Micro 4/3 sensor, more of you will get cropped out (see below).

In order to make up for the cropping that occurs, you will need to use a wider lens on cameras with smaller sensors to get the same shot you’d get with a full-frame camera.

Focal Length Equivalency Table

This table shows you the focal lengths needed to achieve the same shot between cameras with different sensor sizes. In order to take a shot as wide as the shot I took of myself with the 24mm lens on my full-frame camera, I would need a 15mm lens on an APS-C sensor camera or a 12mm lens on a micro 4/3 camera.

Focal Length / Sensor	Full Frame	APS-C	Micro 4/3
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	16mm	10mm	8mm
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	18mm	11mm	9mm
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	24mm	15mm	12mm
Wide	35mm	22mm	18mm
Standard	50mm	31mm	25mm
Telephoto	70mm	44mm	35mm
Telephoto	100mm	63mm	50mm
Telephoto	200mm	125mm	100mm

Aperture

The next thing to consider when you’re looking for a lens is the aperture, the hole (often adjustable) within the lens that lets light in. Aperture for camera lenses is measured in f-stops (f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.0) - the smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture (bigger hole letting even more light in).

Because larger aperture lenses let more light in, they need a shorter time for cameras to compose an image. This is why larger aperture lenses are also called “fast” lenses.

Fast lenses are more expensive because they cost more to produce. There’s a lot more that goes into them, including larger and higher quality glass elements.

But do you even need a fast lens?

Vlogging With a Fast Lens

Pros of Vlogging With a Fast Lens

• Better low-light performance
• Better autofocus performance
• Better “bokeh” (out-of-focus areas, like your background, having that nice blurry look that you see in a lot of movies)

Cons of Vlogging With a Fast Lens

• More expensive
• Moving subjects more likely to get out of focus when shooting with a large aperture
• Better continuous autofocus performance needed when shooting moving subjects with a large aperture

Optical Image Stabilization

Finally, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want your lens to have built-in optical image stabilization (OIS).

OIS is very beneficial to have on a lens if you’re a vlogger who films mostly handheld footage. Although this technology adds to the price of your lens as well, it can greatly help you to capture smoother footage that may otherwise be shaky. Nikon calls this technology “Vibration Reduction” (VR) for their lenses.

In the above video, you can see how much OIS can help to stabilize your footage. MicBergsma simultaneously compares the footage between two GoPro Hero5 Blacks, one with OIS on and one with OIS off.

If, however, you are shooting most of your vlogs on a tripod, you won’t need a lens with OIS.

Looking for ways to set up your talking-head shot for YouTube with any of these lenses? Check out our post on 4 Ways To Set Up Your Talking-Head Shots For YouTube .

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

The staple of any vlog is the talking headshot, a shot of the speaker talking directly to the audience. You can compose this shot with different kinds of lenses for your interchangeable lens camera.

But which kind of lens is the right lens for you as a vlogger?

In this article, I’m going to help you figure that out.

• Part 1: Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto
• Part 2: Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group
• Part 3: Crop Factor
• Part 4: Focal Length Equivalency Table
• Part 5: Aperture
• Part 6: Vlogging With a Fast Lens
• Part 7: Optical Image Stabilization

Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto

There are three main ranges in focal lengths that camera lenses can be categorized into wide, standard, and telephoto.

Wide-Angle Lens

Wide-angle lenses can “see more.” They allow more of your scene to fit inside your frame. Objects that are closer to the lens appear much bigger while objects that are further away appear even smaller. Perspectives are also enhanced, making close objects and people that just make it into the sides of the frame appear more stretched out. Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, wide-angle lenses will appear the least zoomed in.

Standard Lens

With standard lenses or normal lenses, you won’t get the stretched out objects or enhanced perspectives that you get from wide-angle lenses. Instead, standard lenses are meant to see scenes as the natural human eye is meant to see them. If you shoot a scene with both a wide-angle lens and a standard lens from the same position, you’ll notice that less of the scene fits into your frame. Standard lenses will appear more zoomed-in than wide-angle lenses, but less zoomed-in than telephoto lenses.

Telephoto Lens

Out of all the other ranges in focal lengths, telephoto lenses will appear the most zoomed in. This can be beneficial for the shooter who wants to get a closer shot of a scene without having to physically be in close proximity to the scene. Objects that are further away in the background also appear larger and closer than they would appear on wide-angle or standard lenses.

Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group

You can get your talking head footage using lenses from any of the three focal length groups. Depending on how you plan to vlog most of the time, though, one of the three focal lengths might be more suitable for you.

When to vlog with a wide-angle lens

Wide-angle lenses are the most commonly used lenses for vlogging. Wide-angle lenses are great when you need to be close to your camera. This might be the case for you if your recording space is small or if you want to film yourself as you hold your camera up with your own hand.

Being close to your camera not only gives you the option to use your camera’s built-in microphone, but it also gives you the option to make use of camera-mounted shotgun microphones.

When to vlog with a standard lens

Standard lenses are great when you have more space to be further away from your camera. The perspectives in your shot will look more natural through a standard lens, making your talking head footage feel more corporate or professional. You’ll also be able to get blurrier backgrounds using a standard lens versus a wide-angle lens.

Being further away from your camera, however, means that you’ll have to use a separate microphone positioned closer to you.

When to vlog with a telephoto lens

As telephoto lenses are even more zoomed in, you’ll need to be even further away from your camera to fit yourself inside your camera frame. Why would any vlogger ever need to be that far away from their camera? One word… teleprompter. If you want or need to stick to a script, you’ll have to be far away enough from your camera that it doesn’t appear like your eyes are scanning left to right. You then close in the distance with a telephoto lens.

In the above video, Marcos Rocha compares different focal lengths for talking head videos. Which focal length range do you like the look of?

Crop Factor

Focal lengths in camera lenses are measured in millimeters. You can vlog yourself handheld with a 24mm lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor (the sensor is the piece of hardware inside your camera that turns the light it receives into a digital image). But if you use a 24mm lens on a camera with a smaller sensor, like an APS-C sensor or even smaller Micro 4/3 sensor, more of you will get cropped out (see below).

In order to make up for the cropping that occurs, you will need to use a wider lens on cameras with smaller sensors to get the same shot you’d get with a full-frame camera.

Focal Length Equivalency Table

This table shows you the focal lengths needed to achieve the same shot between cameras with different sensor sizes. In order to take a shot as wide as the shot I took of myself with the 24mm lens on my full-frame camera, I would need a 15mm lens on an APS-C sensor camera or a 12mm lens on a micro 4/3 camera.

Focal Length / Sensor	Full Frame	APS-C	Micro 4/3
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	16mm	10mm	8mm
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	18mm	11mm	9mm
Wide (Handheld Selfie-Safe)	24mm	15mm	12mm
Wide	35mm	22mm	18mm
Standard	50mm	31mm	25mm
Telephoto	70mm	44mm	35mm
Telephoto	100mm	63mm	50mm
Telephoto	200mm	125mm	100mm

Aperture

The next thing to consider when you’re looking for a lens is the aperture, the hole (often adjustable) within the lens that lets light in. Aperture for camera lenses is measured in f-stops (f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.0) - the smaller the f-stop number, the larger the aperture (bigger hole letting even more light in).

Because larger aperture lenses let more light in, they need a shorter time for cameras to compose an image. This is why larger aperture lenses are also called “fast” lenses.

Fast lenses are more expensive because they cost more to produce. There’s a lot more that goes into them, including larger and higher quality glass elements.

But do you even need a fast lens?

Vlogging With a Fast Lens

Pros of Vlogging With a Fast Lens

• Better low-light performance
• Better autofocus performance
• Better “bokeh” (out-of-focus areas, like your background, having that nice blurry look that you see in a lot of movies)

Cons of Vlogging With a Fast Lens

• More expensive
• Moving subjects more likely to get out of focus when shooting with a large aperture
• Better continuous autofocus performance needed when shooting moving subjects with a large aperture

Optical Image Stabilization

Finally, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want your lens to have built-in optical image stabilization (OIS).

OIS is very beneficial to have on a lens if you’re a vlogger who films mostly handheld footage. Although this technology adds to the price of your lens as well, it can greatly help you to capture smoother footage that may otherwise be shaky. Nikon calls this technology “Vibration Reduction” (VR) for their lenses.

In the above video, you can see how much OIS can help to stabilize your footage. MicBergsma simultaneously compares the footage between two GoPro Hero5 Blacks, one with OIS on and one with OIS off.

If, however, you are shooting most of your vlogs on a tripod, you won’t need a lens with OIS.

Looking for ways to set up your talking-head shot for YouTube with any of these lenses? Check out our post on 4 Ways To Set Up Your Talking-Head Shots For YouTube .

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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