Amplify Earnings: Monetize YouTube on the Go with Effective Techniques

YouTube makes money easier and more accessible than ever in 2024. Create videos from the convenience of your mobile device and earn money from your passion. Your dreams can become a reality when you explore them. The goal of every YouTube creator is to monetize their channel. They can start side businesses, turn YouTube into a full-time job, or sell physical products. With today’s technology, the possibilities are endless!

This article is here to guide you on making money from your YouTube channel in 2024. You’ll discover steps and tips that can help boost your earnings. Whether you’re a pro or just starting out, monetizing your content can work for you. Get ready to increase your YouTube income potential as your journey on the platform is set to get even better.

YouTube Monetization Editor A cross-platform helps create attention-grabbing thumbnails and enhance your videos on YouTube easy!

Free Download Free Download Learn More

Part 1. What you need to know about YouTube Monetization

Rules and requirements for YouTube Monetization

YouTube Monetization means making money from YouTube content. For monetization, you need to join the YouTube Partner program and for this, you need to follow some requirements. In order to benefit from YPP fan funding, such as Super Chats and Super Thanks, here are the minimum requirements:

• A subscriber base of 500
• 90-day history of public uploads
• Within the last 90 days, public YouTube Shorts have been viewed 3 million times.

Video advertisements can make you money if you meet the following requirements:

• Subscribers of 1,000
• Watches by the public of 4,000 hours or views of 10 million YouTube Shorts in 90 days.

Promote your channel and create quality content to increase these numbers.

Join the YouTube Partner Program

In order to participate in the YouTube Partner Program, you must apply (YPP). YouTube is the top platform for content creators, offering them the chance to monetize their work.

Applications are reviewed by YouTube for at least one month before a decision is made. Due to YouTube’s actual specialists reviewing each application, it may take longer than a month.

To join the YPP, you must meet the following requirements:

• A minimum of 1,000 subscribers subscribe to your channel
• In the last 12 months, you’ve logged at least 4,000 public watch hours
• You live in an area that offers the YouTube Partner Program
• In terms of YouTube channel monetization policies, you follow them all
• Your YouTube channel must be secured with 2-Step Verification via your Google Account.
• Your YouTube channel is associated with an AdSense account
• The Community Guidelines strike on your channel is not active

Part 2. The Step-by-Step Guide for Monetizing Your YouTube Channel on Your Phone

YouTube Monetization Steps for Mobile

Following YPP’s requirements, you should follow these steps. Several steps must be followed in order to enable YouTube monetization using a mobile device:

A Quick Navigation

• Step 1 - Create an account on YouTube
• Step 2 - Get YouTube Studio access
• Step 3 -Monetize your site with Google Adsense
• Step 4 -Accept YouTube’s terms and conditions
• Step 5 -Creating ad formats
• Step 6 -Monetizing videos
• Step 7 -Content Promotion
• Step 8 -Analyze the results
• Step 9 -Ensure compliance

Step - 1 . Create an account on YouTube

Simply open YouTube on your mobile device, and sign in with your Google account right there on your device.

Step - 2 . Get YouTube Studio access

To access the YouTube Studio dashboard, click the icon of your channel or profile picture.

Step - 3 . Monetize your site with Google Adsense

To view YouTube Studio’s monetization options, click on the “Monetization” tab. The “Enable” option will appear if you meet the eligibility criteria. To receive your earnings, follow the instructions onscreen to set up Google AdSense.

Step - 4 . Accept YouTube’s terms and conditions

Read and accept YouTube’s terms and conditions for the Partner Program.

Step - 5 . Creating ad formats

In your videos, you can choose whether you want skippable or non-skippable advertisements.

Step - 6 . Monetizing videos

To enable or disable monetization on specific videos, select “Videos” from the YouTube Studio menu.

Step - 7 . Content Promotion

Continue producing high-quality content that engages viewers. It is crucial to create engaging content in order to increase ad revenue.

Step - 8 . Analyze the results

YouTube Studio lets you monitor channel performance, identify improvements, and monitor ad revenue.

Step - 9 . Ensure compliance

Keep in mind YouTube’s content policies if you want to maintain your monetization status.

Your YouTube channel may need some time to be approved for monetization. Engagement with your audience is the key to increasing viewership and revenue for your videos.

Part 3. Monetizing YouTube channels on mobile devices: Some Proven Ways

It is beneficial for creators to use YouTube AdSense, although it is not a reliable source of income. The advertising rates fluctuate, so making the same amount of money every year is hard. At last, here are some methods for monetizing YouTube:

Ads on YouTube

Monetizing a website has many methods, but this is the most basic and straightforward one. Various YouTube ad formats provide control over ad placement before or during a video.

Sponsorships that are paid

Sponsorship involves paying a content creator to use, demonstrate, or test a brand’s product in a video. It benefits both the sponsors and the viewers when brands sponsor creators.

Affiliates

Using affiliate programs is another way of monetizing your YouTube videos. With affiliate marketing, your audience is directed to a brand’s landing page or product by clicking an affiliate link. A commission is earned when the user purchases successfully. It is possible to earn extra income through affiliate programs. Offer discounts to your followers when you become an affiliate for a product you already use.

The merchandise

A similar tactic has already been discussed. Your fans can buy branded goods from a wide range of merchant platforms available today.

Premium YouTube subscriptions

Using YouTube Premium, users can watch videos ad-free and download videos. Fortunately, you can still earn money by uploading videos to this service. Video creators receive subscription revenue payments in the same manner as ad revenues. You earn money based on the number of times Premium members watch your videos.

Crowdfunding on YouTube

Creators can unlock this feature once they reach 500 subscribers and watch 3000 hours. Through three main avenues, they can directly monetize their audience:

• Fans can earn exclusive loyalty badges and watch private streams with channel memberships. Offering YouTube monetization options that can be customized.
• Live streams on YouTube can also be monetized through Super Chats. Viewers send creators “donations” or “tips” between $1 and $500 during live streams.
• The Super Thanks feature on YouTube lets viewers show appreciation for your content by buying digital goods.

Part 4. Wondershare Filmora’s Power: Elevating YouTube Content for Monetization

Keeping YouTube revenue high in 2024 means ensuring high-quality content. Introducing Wondershare Filmora, a tool that allows you to edit videos on your mobile device. You can use it to make your YouTube content stand out.

Creating attention-grabbing thumbnails and enhancing your videos is easy with Filmora. A package for trimming, adding music, overlaying text, and applying captivating effects to videos.

For your channel to succeed, you need to create eye-catching thumbnails. With Filmora, you can create thumbnails that pique interest and boost click-through rates.

You can elevate your content with Filmora whether you’re experienced or starting out. You can maximise your YouTube earnings in 2024 if your videos connect with your audience.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Features for Editing Videos or Images for YouTube

1. AI Copywriting

Using the ChatGPT API, Filmora’s AI Copywriting feature generates scripts based on AI. Assists in the generation of text during the editing of videos. Automates YouTube title and description creation and simplifies the process.

2. Keyframing

The keyframing capabilities of Filmora enhance the quality and energy of your videos. Adding smooth animated effects to capture your audience’s attention.

3. AI Image

With Text to Image, you can use images directly in your video project in three resolutions. And explore limitless image styles, enhancing the visual appeal of your content.

4. Video Templates for All Your Needs

Start with Filmora’s built-in video templates, creating creative videos with ease. You can also save templates on the cloud. Streamline your video production process by sharing them with fellow creators.

Conclusion

You have now learned how to enable monetization on YouTube in mobile in 2024. From your mobile device, you can turn your passion into income. The possibilities are endless once you achieve monetization. No matter if you’re starting a side gig, launching a business, or going full-time on YouTube.

We have covered key steps for meeting YouTube’s requirements and monetizing videos. Following these steps and using the available strategies will assist you in achieving your goals. Making monetization easy with quality content is easy with Filmora’s above mentioned features. The road to success is open. Maximize your YouTube revenue potential today to make your YouTube journey truly rewarding.

Free Download Free Download Learn More

Part 1. What you need to know about YouTube Monetization

Rules and requirements for YouTube Monetization

YouTube Monetization means making money from YouTube content. For monetization, you need to join the YouTube Partner program and for this, you need to follow some requirements. In order to benefit from YPP fan funding, such as Super Chats and Super Thanks, here are the minimum requirements:

• A subscriber base of 500
• 90-day history of public uploads
• Within the last 90 days, public YouTube Shorts have been viewed 3 million times.

Video advertisements can make you money if you meet the following requirements:

• Subscribers of 1,000
• Watches by the public of 4,000 hours or views of 10 million YouTube Shorts in 90 days.

Promote your channel and create quality content to increase these numbers.

Join the YouTube Partner Program

In order to participate in the YouTube Partner Program, you must apply (YPP). YouTube is the top platform for content creators, offering them the chance to monetize their work.

Applications are reviewed by YouTube for at least one month before a decision is made. Due to YouTube’s actual specialists reviewing each application, it may take longer than a month.

To join the YPP, you must meet the following requirements:

• A minimum of 1,000 subscribers subscribe to your channel
• In the last 12 months, you’ve logged at least 4,000 public watch hours
• You live in an area that offers the YouTube Partner Program
• In terms of YouTube channel monetization policies, you follow them all
• Your YouTube channel must be secured with 2-Step Verification via your Google Account.
• Your YouTube channel is associated with an AdSense account
• The Community Guidelines strike on your channel is not active

Part 2. The Step-by-Step Guide for Monetizing Your YouTube Channel on Your Phone

YouTube Monetization Steps for Mobile

Following YPP’s requirements, you should follow these steps. Several steps must be followed in order to enable YouTube monetization using a mobile device:

A Quick Navigation

• Step 1 - Create an account on YouTube
• Step 2 - Get YouTube Studio access
• Step 3 -Monetize your site with Google Adsense
• Step 4 -Accept YouTube’s terms and conditions
• Step 5 -Creating ad formats
• Step 6 -Monetizing videos
• Step 7 -Content Promotion
• Step 8 -Analyze the results
• Step 9 -Ensure compliance

Step - 1 . Create an account on YouTube

Simply open YouTube on your mobile device, and sign in with your Google account right there on your device.

Step - 2 . Get YouTube Studio access

To access the YouTube Studio dashboard, click the icon of your channel or profile picture.

Step - 3 . Monetize your site with Google Adsense

To view YouTube Studio’s monetization options, click on the “Monetization” tab. The “Enable” option will appear if you meet the eligibility criteria. To receive your earnings, follow the instructions onscreen to set up Google AdSense.

Step - 4 . Accept YouTube’s terms and conditions

Read and accept YouTube’s terms and conditions for the Partner Program.

Step - 5 . Creating ad formats

In your videos, you can choose whether you want skippable or non-skippable advertisements.

Step - 6 . Monetizing videos

To enable or disable monetization on specific videos, select “Videos” from the YouTube Studio menu.

Step - 7 . Content Promotion

Continue producing high-quality content that engages viewers. It is crucial to create engaging content in order to increase ad revenue.

Step - 8 . Analyze the results

YouTube Studio lets you monitor channel performance, identify improvements, and monitor ad revenue.

Step - 9 . Ensure compliance

Keep in mind YouTube’s content policies if you want to maintain your monetization status.

Your YouTube channel may need some time to be approved for monetization. Engagement with your audience is the key to increasing viewership and revenue for your videos.

Part 3. Monetizing YouTube channels on mobile devices: Some Proven Ways

It is beneficial for creators to use YouTube AdSense, although it is not a reliable source of income. The advertising rates fluctuate, so making the same amount of money every year is hard. At last, here are some methods for monetizing YouTube:

Ads on YouTube

Monetizing a website has many methods, but this is the most basic and straightforward one. Various YouTube ad formats provide control over ad placement before or during a video.

Sponsorships that are paid

Sponsorship involves paying a content creator to use, demonstrate, or test a brand’s product in a video. It benefits both the sponsors and the viewers when brands sponsor creators.

Affiliates

Using affiliate programs is another way of monetizing your YouTube videos. With affiliate marketing, your audience is directed to a brand’s landing page or product by clicking an affiliate link. A commission is earned when the user purchases successfully. It is possible to earn extra income through affiliate programs. Offer discounts to your followers when you become an affiliate for a product you already use.

The merchandise

A similar tactic has already been discussed. Your fans can buy branded goods from a wide range of merchant platforms available today.

Premium YouTube subscriptions

Using YouTube Premium, users can watch videos ad-free and download videos. Fortunately, you can still earn money by uploading videos to this service. Video creators receive subscription revenue payments in the same manner as ad revenues. You earn money based on the number of times Premium members watch your videos.

Crowdfunding on YouTube

Creators can unlock this feature once they reach 500 subscribers and watch 3000 hours. Through three main avenues, they can directly monetize their audience:

• Fans can earn exclusive loyalty badges and watch private streams with channel memberships. Offering YouTube monetization options that can be customized.
• Live streams on YouTube can also be monetized through Super Chats. Viewers send creators “donations” or “tips” between $1 and $500 during live streams.
• The Super Thanks feature on YouTube lets viewers show appreciation for your content by buying digital goods.

Part 4. Wondershare Filmora’s Power: Elevating YouTube Content for Monetization

Keeping YouTube revenue high in 2024 means ensuring high-quality content. Introducing Wondershare Filmora, a tool that allows you to edit videos on your mobile device. You can use it to make your YouTube content stand out.

Creating attention-grabbing thumbnails and enhancing your videos is easy with Filmora. A package for trimming, adding music, overlaying text, and applying captivating effects to videos.

For your channel to succeed, you need to create eye-catching thumbnails. With Filmora, you can create thumbnails that pique interest and boost click-through rates.

You can elevate your content with Filmora whether you’re experienced or starting out. You can maximise your YouTube earnings in 2024 if your videos connect with your audience.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Features for Editing Videos or Images for YouTube

1. AI Copywriting

Using the ChatGPT API, Filmora’s AI Copywriting feature generates scripts based on AI. Assists in the generation of text during the editing of videos. Automates YouTube title and description creation and simplifies the process.

2. Keyframing

The keyframing capabilities of Filmora enhance the quality and energy of your videos. Adding smooth animated effects to capture your audience’s attention.

3. AI Image

With Text to Image, you can use images directly in your video project in three resolutions. And explore limitless image styles, enhancing the visual appeal of your content.

4. Video Templates for All Your Needs

Start with Filmora’s built-in video templates, creating creative videos with ease. You can also save templates on the cloud. Streamline your video production process by sharing them with fellow creators.

Conclusion

You have now learned how to enable monetization on YouTube in mobile in 2024. From your mobile device, you can turn your passion into income. The possibilities are endless once you achieve monetization. No matter if you’re starting a side gig, launching a business, or going full-time on YouTube.

We have covered key steps for meeting YouTube’s requirements and monetizing videos. Following these steps and using the available strategies will assist you in achieving your goals. Making monetization easy with quality content is easy with Filmora’s above mentioned features. The road to success is open. Maximize your YouTube revenue potential today to make your YouTube journey truly rewarding.

Choosing the Best Cameras & Lenses for Vloggers

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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