Unlock Creative Freedom in Videos: The Art of Audio Integration

How to Add Music to YouTubeVideo with YouTube Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adding the right music to your YouTube can significantly increase its entertainment value. Professional video maker will not play a music background while shooting the video; they do it during the editing process. You can remove the background noisy during editing and add your own music sound during editing, but you can also upload the video to YouTube first and then choose the right music for your video in YouTube. In this article, we are going to show you how to add or change music to your YouTube videos in YouTube platform after uploading and how to add music to YouTube Video with royalty free music in Audio Library.

You may also like: How to edit YouTube videos >>

---

Before we get started, there is a better way on how to add music to YouTube Video. You may use Wondershare Filmora to better manage your video. It allows you to import any track you want in different format including but not limited to MP3, WAV, FLAC and others. They also have a huge and better collection of royalty-free music. Compared to YouTube Video Editor where you have a pretty limited audio mix manager, the Filmora comes with an audio equalizer. You may also detach the music easily or add multiple tracks on a single video. You can also import the video that you created in different format or upload it directly to YouTube.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Part 1: How to Add Music to YouTube Video

We’re going to offer you two ways to add music to YouTube video with YouTube built-in video editing features.

Section 1: Using Video Manager

There are thousands of royalty free songs that you can use in the YouTube video. You can choose from different genres and moods songs with different duration as well. Here is how to add music to YouTube videos in Video Manager tab.

Step 1 Sign in

The first thing you need to do when you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video is to sign into your account on YouTube. Go to the official site of YouTube and click the sign-in option found at the upper right corner of your screen. You will then be asked to enter your Gmail account and your password. After you managed to sign in, you should be able to see your profile picture on the upper right corner of the page. Click your picture, and you will be able to see the Creator Studio Option. Click that button.

Step 2 Choosing the Video

Start Browsing Your Video Channel. You may do this by clicking on the Video Tab on your Profile Page or Clicking the Video Manager option located at the left bar. You will then be redirected to the videos that you uploaded. Choose your video that you want to have background music.

Step 3 Choosing the Music

Click the Edit option that is located next to the video that you want to edit. This will open the online video editing tool of YouTube. Located on top of the page are the different commands that you can execute to edit the video; you may enhance, add audio, put annotation, create cards, add subtitle and add copyright. Click the Audio Option. It will lead you to a library of music that you may add to your video.

Step 4 Finding the Right Music

The next thing to do on how to add music to YouTube Video is to find an appropriate music for your video. You also need to make sure that the length of the track will perfectly match the length of your video. To do this, Click on the drop down menu that says ‘Top Tracks’ and you will see the different genre of music. In case you already have music in your mind, simply type the title of the song on the search bar and hit enter.

Additional Tip: Not satisfied with the track? Try the sound effects by going at YouTube Audio Library . You can create an advance search by customizing the result based on popularity, duration, instrument, mood and genre.

Step 5 Adding the Selected Music

Before you decided to add the music to your video, make sure that it fits the duration of your video. In case you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video, you should do nothing more than to click the ADD TO VIDEO button and it will be automatically integrated into your video.

Step 6 Editing the Music

• After you successfully integrate the music to the video, you will see the title of the music under your video. You also have additional tools that you can use. Let us take a look at the Position audio and the slide bar option a little closer.

• Once You Click the Position Audio Button, you will be able to customize and position your integrated music as well as compress the length of the music. To trim the music, simply put your pointer either at the end or the beginning of the music. When you want to move the audio, you may just drag the music.
• The ‘Only Music’ option located at the left side of the Position Audio can be used to adjust the volume of the music. In case you want to remove the original sound from the video, drag the pointer at the right most.

Step 7 Saving the Changes

When you save the edited video, you can save it as a separate video, or you can overwrite the existing video.

Additional Reminder: You can’t add multiple audio tracks in one video with youtube video editor, if you want to get an advanced audio editing, check this article How to mix audio tracks into one file for video

Section 2: Using Audio Library

Since YouTube has shut down the Video Editor module in 2017, you can now add music in YouTube Video Editor Module. Though there are plentiful video editing software for YouTube videos , you can also download Free Music and Sound Effects in YouTube Audio Library first and then add it to your video clips. Here is how to add music to YouTube video with YouTube Audio Library.

Step 1 Click on Audio Library

This time instead of clicking the Video Manager option, you will have to click on the Create option and choose Audio Library.

Step 2 Download target free music or sound effect

In YouTube Audio Library, you will find some free music sounds and sound effects available. You can search music in the library and filter genre, duration, mood, attribution and instrument properties. Click the download icon to download this royalty free music and sound effect to your computer. And then you can combine the audio and video and make it as a video with music sound. You can download multiple audio files and then add multiple songs to the YouTube video.

Step 3 Add Music to Video and Edit the music track

There are numerous video editors that you can add the downloaded music from YouTube Audio Library to the video. You can check our guide abouthow to edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker orhow to add music to video in iMovie . While, as we described before, Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for YouTubers. And here is how to add music to YouTube videos with Filmora . You can edit the treble, bass, pan and volume. However, it is impossible for you to position the music in a desired spot. If you want to get more control on your audio tracks, please read this article to know how to add audio effects to your video

Importing the video and audio

Importing media files to Filmora is easy. After launching Filmora, import all the files to the media library first and then drag and drop the target video and audio to the timeline. One of the best things of using Filmora to edit YouTube video is there is a built-in Music Library which including some royalty free music sound and sound effects as well.

Detach the original audio from video [Optional]

If you want to remove the recorded original audio file from video , just right click the video and then select Audio Detach option and the audio will be separated from the video automatically and then delete the audio.

What’s more, you can also use Filmora to remove the background noise and then keep the original audio as well.

Edit the Music

In Filmora, you can change the video and audio speed, add fade in and fade out to the music and change the music sound.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Music Video Makers >>

Watch the video below to check how to empower your imagination with Filmora

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adding the right music to your YouTube can significantly increase its entertainment value. Professional video maker will not play a music background while shooting the video; they do it during the editing process. You can remove the background noisy during editing and add your own music sound during editing, but you can also upload the video to YouTube first and then choose the right music for your video in YouTube. In this article, we are going to show you how to add or change music to your YouTube videos in YouTube platform after uploading and how to add music to YouTube Video with royalty free music in Audio Library.

You may also like: How to edit YouTube videos >>

---

Before we get started, there is a better way on how to add music to YouTube Video. You may use Wondershare Filmora to better manage your video. It allows you to import any track you want in different format including but not limited to MP3, WAV, FLAC and others. They also have a huge and better collection of royalty-free music. Compared to YouTube Video Editor where you have a pretty limited audio mix manager, the Filmora comes with an audio equalizer. You may also detach the music easily or add multiple tracks on a single video. You can also import the video that you created in different format or upload it directly to YouTube.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Part 1: How to Add Music to YouTube Video

We’re going to offer you two ways to add music to YouTube video with YouTube built-in video editing features.

Section 1: Using Video Manager

There are thousands of royalty free songs that you can use in the YouTube video. You can choose from different genres and moods songs with different duration as well. Here is how to add music to YouTube videos in Video Manager tab.

Step 1 Sign in

The first thing you need to do when you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video is to sign into your account on YouTube. Go to the official site of YouTube and click the sign-in option found at the upper right corner of your screen. You will then be asked to enter your Gmail account and your password. After you managed to sign in, you should be able to see your profile picture on the upper right corner of the page. Click your picture, and you will be able to see the Creator Studio Option. Click that button.

Step 2 Choosing the Video

Start Browsing Your Video Channel. You may do this by clicking on the Video Tab on your Profile Page or Clicking the Video Manager option located at the left bar. You will then be redirected to the videos that you uploaded. Choose your video that you want to have background music.

Step 3 Choosing the Music

Click the Edit option that is located next to the video that you want to edit. This will open the online video editing tool of YouTube. Located on top of the page are the different commands that you can execute to edit the video; you may enhance, add audio, put annotation, create cards, add subtitle and add copyright. Click the Audio Option. It will lead you to a library of music that you may add to your video.

Step 4 Finding the Right Music

The next thing to do on how to add music to YouTube Video is to find an appropriate music for your video. You also need to make sure that the length of the track will perfectly match the length of your video. To do this, Click on the drop down menu that says ‘Top Tracks’ and you will see the different genre of music. In case you already have music in your mind, simply type the title of the song on the search bar and hit enter.

Additional Tip: Not satisfied with the track? Try the sound effects by going at YouTube Audio Library . You can create an advance search by customizing the result based on popularity, duration, instrument, mood and genre.

Step 5 Adding the Selected Music

Before you decided to add the music to your video, make sure that it fits the duration of your video. In case you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video, you should do nothing more than to click the ADD TO VIDEO button and it will be automatically integrated into your video.

Step 6 Editing the Music

• After you successfully integrate the music to the video, you will see the title of the music under your video. You also have additional tools that you can use. Let us take a look at the Position audio and the slide bar option a little closer.

• Once You Click the Position Audio Button, you will be able to customize and position your integrated music as well as compress the length of the music. To trim the music, simply put your pointer either at the end or the beginning of the music. When you want to move the audio, you may just drag the music.
• The ‘Only Music’ option located at the left side of the Position Audio can be used to adjust the volume of the music. In case you want to remove the original sound from the video, drag the pointer at the right most.

Step 7 Saving the Changes

When you save the edited video, you can save it as a separate video, or you can overwrite the existing video.

Additional Reminder: You can’t add multiple audio tracks in one video with youtube video editor, if you want to get an advanced audio editing, check this article How to mix audio tracks into one file for video

Section 2: Using Audio Library

Since YouTube has shut down the Video Editor module in 2017, you can now add music in YouTube Video Editor Module. Though there are plentiful video editing software for YouTube videos , you can also download Free Music and Sound Effects in YouTube Audio Library first and then add it to your video clips. Here is how to add music to YouTube video with YouTube Audio Library.

Step 1 Click on Audio Library

This time instead of clicking the Video Manager option, you will have to click on the Create option and choose Audio Library.

Step 2 Download target free music or sound effect

In YouTube Audio Library, you will find some free music sounds and sound effects available. You can search music in the library and filter genre, duration, mood, attribution and instrument properties. Click the download icon to download this royalty free music and sound effect to your computer. And then you can combine the audio and video and make it as a video with music sound. You can download multiple audio files and then add multiple songs to the YouTube video.

Step 3 Add Music to Video and Edit the music track

There are numerous video editors that you can add the downloaded music from YouTube Audio Library to the video. You can check our guide abouthow to edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker orhow to add music to video in iMovie . While, as we described before, Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for YouTubers. And here is how to add music to YouTube videos with Filmora . You can edit the treble, bass, pan and volume. However, it is impossible for you to position the music in a desired spot. If you want to get more control on your audio tracks, please read this article to know how to add audio effects to your video

Importing the video and audio

Importing media files to Filmora is easy. After launching Filmora, import all the files to the media library first and then drag and drop the target video and audio to the timeline. One of the best things of using Filmora to edit YouTube video is there is a built-in Music Library which including some royalty free music sound and sound effects as well.

Detach the original audio from video [Optional]

If you want to remove the recorded original audio file from video , just right click the video and then select Audio Detach option and the audio will be separated from the video automatically and then delete the audio.

What’s more, you can also use Filmora to remove the background noise and then keep the original audio as well.

Edit the Music

In Filmora, you can change the video and audio speed, add fade in and fade out to the music and change the music sound.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Music Video Makers >>

Watch the video below to check how to empower your imagination with Filmora

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adding the right music to your YouTube can significantly increase its entertainment value. Professional video maker will not play a music background while shooting the video; they do it during the editing process. You can remove the background noisy during editing and add your own music sound during editing, but you can also upload the video to YouTube first and then choose the right music for your video in YouTube. In this article, we are going to show you how to add or change music to your YouTube videos in YouTube platform after uploading and how to add music to YouTube Video with royalty free music in Audio Library.

You may also like: How to edit YouTube videos >>

---

Before we get started, there is a better way on how to add music to YouTube Video. You may use Wondershare Filmora to better manage your video. It allows you to import any track you want in different format including but not limited to MP3, WAV, FLAC and others. They also have a huge and better collection of royalty-free music. Compared to YouTube Video Editor where you have a pretty limited audio mix manager, the Filmora comes with an audio equalizer. You may also detach the music easily or add multiple tracks on a single video. You can also import the video that you created in different format or upload it directly to YouTube.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Part 1: How to Add Music to YouTube Video

We’re going to offer you two ways to add music to YouTube video with YouTube built-in video editing features.

Section 1: Using Video Manager

There are thousands of royalty free songs that you can use in the YouTube video. You can choose from different genres and moods songs with different duration as well. Here is how to add music to YouTube videos in Video Manager tab.

Step 1 Sign in

The first thing you need to do when you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video is to sign into your account on YouTube. Go to the official site of YouTube and click the sign-in option found at the upper right corner of your screen. You will then be asked to enter your Gmail account and your password. After you managed to sign in, you should be able to see your profile picture on the upper right corner of the page. Click your picture, and you will be able to see the Creator Studio Option. Click that button.

Step 2 Choosing the Video

Start Browsing Your Video Channel. You may do this by clicking on the Video Tab on your Profile Page or Clicking the Video Manager option located at the left bar. You will then be redirected to the videos that you uploaded. Choose your video that you want to have background music.

Step 3 Choosing the Music

Click the Edit option that is located next to the video that you want to edit. This will open the online video editing tool of YouTube. Located on top of the page are the different commands that you can execute to edit the video; you may enhance, add audio, put annotation, create cards, add subtitle and add copyright. Click the Audio Option. It will lead you to a library of music that you may add to your video.

Step 4 Finding the Right Music

The next thing to do on how to add music to YouTube Video is to find an appropriate music for your video. You also need to make sure that the length of the track will perfectly match the length of your video. To do this, Click on the drop down menu that says ‘Top Tracks’ and you will see the different genre of music. In case you already have music in your mind, simply type the title of the song on the search bar and hit enter.

Additional Tip: Not satisfied with the track? Try the sound effects by going at YouTube Audio Library . You can create an advance search by customizing the result based on popularity, duration, instrument, mood and genre.

Step 5 Adding the Selected Music

Before you decided to add the music to your video, make sure that it fits the duration of your video. In case you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video, you should do nothing more than to click the ADD TO VIDEO button and it will be automatically integrated into your video.

Step 6 Editing the Music

• After you successfully integrate the music to the video, you will see the title of the music under your video. You also have additional tools that you can use. Let us take a look at the Position audio and the slide bar option a little closer.

• Once You Click the Position Audio Button, you will be able to customize and position your integrated music as well as compress the length of the music. To trim the music, simply put your pointer either at the end or the beginning of the music. When you want to move the audio, you may just drag the music.
• The ‘Only Music’ option located at the left side of the Position Audio can be used to adjust the volume of the music. In case you want to remove the original sound from the video, drag the pointer at the right most.

Step 7 Saving the Changes

When you save the edited video, you can save it as a separate video, or you can overwrite the existing video.

Additional Reminder: You can’t add multiple audio tracks in one video with youtube video editor, if you want to get an advanced audio editing, check this article How to mix audio tracks into one file for video

Section 2: Using Audio Library

Since YouTube has shut down the Video Editor module in 2017, you can now add music in YouTube Video Editor Module. Though there are plentiful video editing software for YouTube videos , you can also download Free Music and Sound Effects in YouTube Audio Library first and then add it to your video clips. Here is how to add music to YouTube video with YouTube Audio Library.

Step 1 Click on Audio Library

This time instead of clicking the Video Manager option, you will have to click on the Create option and choose Audio Library.

Step 2 Download target free music or sound effect

In YouTube Audio Library, you will find some free music sounds and sound effects available. You can search music in the library and filter genre, duration, mood, attribution and instrument properties. Click the download icon to download this royalty free music and sound effect to your computer. And then you can combine the audio and video and make it as a video with music sound. You can download multiple audio files and then add multiple songs to the YouTube video.

Step 3 Add Music to Video and Edit the music track

There are numerous video editors that you can add the downloaded music from YouTube Audio Library to the video. You can check our guide abouthow to edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker orhow to add music to video in iMovie . While, as we described before, Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for YouTubers. And here is how to add music to YouTube videos with Filmora . You can edit the treble, bass, pan and volume. However, it is impossible for you to position the music in a desired spot. If you want to get more control on your audio tracks, please read this article to know how to add audio effects to your video

Importing the video and audio

Importing media files to Filmora is easy. After launching Filmora, import all the files to the media library first and then drag and drop the target video and audio to the timeline. One of the best things of using Filmora to edit YouTube video is there is a built-in Music Library which including some royalty free music sound and sound effects as well.

Detach the original audio from video [Optional]

If you want to remove the recorded original audio file from video , just right click the video and then select Audio Detach option and the audio will be separated from the video automatically and then delete the audio.

What’s more, you can also use Filmora to remove the background noise and then keep the original audio as well.

Edit the Music

In Filmora, you can change the video and audio speed, add fade in and fade out to the music and change the music sound.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Music Video Makers >>

Watch the video below to check how to empower your imagination with Filmora

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adding the right music to your YouTube can significantly increase its entertainment value. Professional video maker will not play a music background while shooting the video; they do it during the editing process. You can remove the background noisy during editing and add your own music sound during editing, but you can also upload the video to YouTube first and then choose the right music for your video in YouTube. In this article, we are going to show you how to add or change music to your YouTube videos in YouTube platform after uploading and how to add music to YouTube Video with royalty free music in Audio Library.

You may also like: How to edit YouTube videos >>

---

Before we get started, there is a better way on how to add music to YouTube Video. You may use Wondershare Filmora to better manage your video. It allows you to import any track you want in different format including but not limited to MP3, WAV, FLAC and others. They also have a huge and better collection of royalty-free music. Compared to YouTube Video Editor where you have a pretty limited audio mix manager, the Filmora comes with an audio equalizer. You may also detach the music easily or add multiple tracks on a single video. You can also import the video that you created in different format or upload it directly to YouTube.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

---

Part 1: How to Add Music to YouTube Video

We’re going to offer you two ways to add music to YouTube video with YouTube built-in video editing features.

Section 1: Using Video Manager

There are thousands of royalty free songs that you can use in the YouTube video. You can choose from different genres and moods songs with different duration as well. Here is how to add music to YouTube videos in Video Manager tab.

Step 1 Sign in

The first thing you need to do when you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video is to sign into your account on YouTube. Go to the official site of YouTube and click the sign-in option found at the upper right corner of your screen. You will then be asked to enter your Gmail account and your password. After you managed to sign in, you should be able to see your profile picture on the upper right corner of the page. Click your picture, and you will be able to see the Creator Studio Option. Click that button.

Step 2 Choosing the Video

Start Browsing Your Video Channel. You may do this by clicking on the Video Tab on your Profile Page or Clicking the Video Manager option located at the left bar. You will then be redirected to the videos that you uploaded. Choose your video that you want to have background music.

Step 3 Choosing the Music

Click the Edit option that is located next to the video that you want to edit. This will open the online video editing tool of YouTube. Located on top of the page are the different commands that you can execute to edit the video; you may enhance, add audio, put annotation, create cards, add subtitle and add copyright. Click the Audio Option. It will lead you to a library of music that you may add to your video.

Step 4 Finding the Right Music

The next thing to do on how to add music to YouTube Video is to find an appropriate music for your video. You also need to make sure that the length of the track will perfectly match the length of your video. To do this, Click on the drop down menu that says ‘Top Tracks’ and you will see the different genre of music. In case you already have music in your mind, simply type the title of the song on the search bar and hit enter.

Additional Tip: Not satisfied with the track? Try the sound effects by going at YouTube Audio Library . You can create an advance search by customizing the result based on popularity, duration, instrument, mood and genre.

Step 5 Adding the Selected Music

Before you decided to add the music to your video, make sure that it fits the duration of your video. In case you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video, you should do nothing more than to click the ADD TO VIDEO button and it will be automatically integrated into your video.

Step 6 Editing the Music

• After you successfully integrate the music to the video, you will see the title of the music under your video. You also have additional tools that you can use. Let us take a look at the Position audio and the slide bar option a little closer.

• Once You Click the Position Audio Button, you will be able to customize and position your integrated music as well as compress the length of the music. To trim the music, simply put your pointer either at the end or the beginning of the music. When you want to move the audio, you may just drag the music.
• The ‘Only Music’ option located at the left side of the Position Audio can be used to adjust the volume of the music. In case you want to remove the original sound from the video, drag the pointer at the right most.

Step 7 Saving the Changes

When you save the edited video, you can save it as a separate video, or you can overwrite the existing video.

Additional Reminder: You can’t add multiple audio tracks in one video with youtube video editor, if you want to get an advanced audio editing, check this article How to mix audio tracks into one file for video

Section 2: Using Audio Library

Since YouTube has shut down the Video Editor module in 2017, you can now add music in YouTube Video Editor Module. Though there are plentiful video editing software for YouTube videos , you can also download Free Music and Sound Effects in YouTube Audio Library first and then add it to your video clips. Here is how to add music to YouTube video with YouTube Audio Library.

Step 1 Click on Audio Library

This time instead of clicking the Video Manager option, you will have to click on the Create option and choose Audio Library.

Step 2 Download target free music or sound effect

In YouTube Audio Library, you will find some free music sounds and sound effects available. You can search music in the library and filter genre, duration, mood, attribution and instrument properties. Click the download icon to download this royalty free music and sound effect to your computer. And then you can combine the audio and video and make it as a video with music sound. You can download multiple audio files and then add multiple songs to the YouTube video.

Step 3 Add Music to Video and Edit the music track

There are numerous video editors that you can add the downloaded music from YouTube Audio Library to the video. You can check our guide abouthow to edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker orhow to add music to video in iMovie . While, as we described before, Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for YouTubers. And here is how to add music to YouTube videos with Filmora . You can edit the treble, bass, pan and volume. However, it is impossible for you to position the music in a desired spot. If you want to get more control on your audio tracks, please read this article to know how to add audio effects to your video

Importing the video and audio

Importing media files to Filmora is easy. After launching Filmora, import all the files to the media library first and then drag and drop the target video and audio to the timeline. One of the best things of using Filmora to edit YouTube video is there is a built-in Music Library which including some royalty free music sound and sound effects as well.

Detach the original audio from video [Optional]

If you want to remove the recorded original audio file from video , just right click the video and then select Audio Detach option and the audio will be separated from the video automatically and then delete the audio.

What’s more, you can also use Filmora to remove the background noise and then keep the original audio as well.

Edit the Music

In Filmora, you can change the video and audio speed, add fade in and fade out to the music and change the music sound.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Music Video Makers >>

Watch the video below to check how to empower your imagination with Filmora

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Cutting Edge Creativity: Choosing High-Quality Camera Lenses

Best Camera Lenses for YouTube

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A DSLR is the ideal camera for some vlogs, and using a DSLR means you get to customize the look of your vlog by choosing the perfect lens. Choosing the best camera lens for your YouTube channel can be tricky because there are so many options. This article will walk you through some of them, and make two recommendations of great vlogging lenses. If you already have a good understanding of how camera lenses work then feel free to scroll down to the lens recs.

Part 1. Understanding Lenses: Zoom lens, Fixed lens, aperture, f-stop

There are two main categories of camera lenses: ‘zoom’ – lenses that allow you to zoom in and out – and ‘fixed’. If your lenses are tools then zoom lenses are Swiss army knives; they are very versatile. Fixed lenses, also called prime lenses, have more specific purposes. Do you need a tool that can do a lot of things, or a tool that is perfect for one specific job? Sometimes it is useful to have access to both.

We have explained the differences between Fixed lens and Zoom lens and advantages of using each lens, check this article: Zoom Lens vs. Fixed Lenses: Which one is best for YouTuber? for the detailed information.

Before we get into the recommendations here is a little background information on lenses in general:

Beginner’s Guide to Aperture and F-Stops

In order to be able to select the lens you’ll be using to record your YouTube videos, you first need to understand a few very basic concepts, such as aperture or f-stops.

1.What is a lens’s aperture?

The aperture of your lens is the hole through which light reaches your camera’s sensor, or the film if you are using a film camera. The wider your aperture is the more light you are letting into your camera. In low light it is better to have a wide aperture, and when you are working with a lot of light it is better to have a narrow aperture so your footage is not overexposed.

Aperture is simply an opening in the lens that lets the light through. If you want to increase the amount of the light that is reaching the camera’s sensor you need to open up the aperture blades that are located in the lens. The f-values like f/1.2 or f/1.8 indicate that the aperture is wide open and that the camera is receiving the maximum amount of light a lens you’re using can provide.

2.What is an ‘f-stop’?

Light passes through your lens’s aperture on its way to your camera’s sensor, and the f-stop of your lens relates to the amount of light it lets in. The lower your f-stop, the wider your aperture, and the more light you are letting into your camera. The more light you let into your camera the easier it is to achieve a blurred background. A lot of vloggers love blurring their backgrounds because it is a quick way to disguising the rooms they are shooting in.

F-stops are written like ‘f/1.8’ or ‘f/4’ on your lens. For more information on f-stops and blurring your background read “The Best Bokeh Lens - How to Get the Blurred Background for YouTube Videos” and watch Tasha’s video.

F-stops or f-numbers indicate how open the aperture is, so for example if your camera is displaying f/32 value it means that your camera is letting very little light to get through to the camera’s sensor. The f-number depends on a few other parameters such as shutter speed, exposure or ISO values. Large apertures provide a shallow depth of field which creates a smooth and artistic background blur, while a small aperture enables you to keep both the background and the foreground of your shot in focus.

Part 2: Types of Camera Lenses

The visual aspect of a video may not be the only thing you’ll have to dedicate special attention to while recording your YouTube video, but it is surely one of the most important factors of the video production process. A lens you are using will largely contribute to the aesthetics of the video. That’s why you need to know which type of lens will deliver the best results when shooting different types of scenes. Here are some of the most common types of lenses you’ll encounter.

Standard lenses

These lenses are featured in almost all camera kits, so the chances are that if you have a DSLR camera you already have a standard, mid-range lens. These lenses commonly have a fixed 50mm focal length, although zoom lenses with focal lengths in the range between 35mm and 75mm are also considered standard. You can use them to capture medium shots, single or multiple figure shots, and in some cases establishing shots, because they offer enough versatility to cover a multitude of different scenes. Standard lenses often have large apertures, which makes them quite useful if you often shoot videos under light conditions you can’t control.

Macro lenses

Details, product shots or any other subject that can be filmed from close proximity looks better if they are recorded with macro lenses. The high contrast and sharpness these lenses provide allow you to create stunning close-ups of all hosts, guests or actors in your YouTube videos. What’s more, if you are presenting a new product to your audience you can use the macro lens to make some captivating shots that will attract more audience. Zoom lenses can also be used for macro photography and video, although prime macro lenses produce better results.

Telephoto lenses

The subjects of your videos don’t always have to be in your immediate surroundings, because telephoto lenses let you capture scenes that are several miles away from you. Wildlife or sports videographers frequently use telephoto lenses because they don’t have another way of getting close to their subjects. However, telephoto lenses with 70-300mm focal length can also be used to take stunning portraits or close up shots. The biggest downside of telephoto lenses is their weight because the lenses with higher focal lengths can weigh up to 10lbs, which makes them a bit inconvenient to always carry with you.

Wide-angle lenses

Recording videos of vast open spaces, breathtaking vistas or beautiful city views is much easier if you have a wide-angle lens. The short focal length allows the lens to have a wider field of view which covers more space than standard or telephoto lenses. Wide-angle lenses also have lower apertures than lenses with longer focal lengths which results in images that have a shallow depth of field. Ultra-wide lenses like fisheye distort the view so the videos recorded with these lenses often suffer from the lack of realism.

Specialist lenses

YouTubers who are working on demanding projects can try to solve their troubles by using a specialist lens. Soft-focus lenses can help you take better portraits while tilt-shift lenses allow you to control the perspective. However, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which you’ll need a specialist lense if you are just starting out since even experienced videographers only use special lenses when they have absolutely no better way to record a scene.

Part 3: Recommended Best Camera Lenses for Shooting YouTube Videos

Here are a couple great lenses that might be good fits for you and your YouTube channel. The thing that makes them both ideal for vlogging is that they have low enough f-stops to blur out your background.

Camera Lens	Type	Price	Aperture	Focal Length
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens	Wide angle	$279	f/4.5-5.6	10 -18mm
Rokinon 8mm f/3.5	Fisheye	$249	f/3.5	8mm
Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens	Prime	$125	f/1.8	50mm
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens	Telephoto	$999	f/2	135mm
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8	Standard Zoom	$299	f/2.8	17 -50mm
Sony 30mm f/3.5 Macro	Macro	$278	f/3.5	30mm

1.Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens

Canon released this lens in 2014 and shortly after it has gained the reputation of one of the most reliable wide to ultra-wide lenses for Canon cameras. Like most STM lenses, it offers incredibly fast autofocus technology that makes it a great choice for fast-paced action videos. The lens is equipped with an image stabilization system which guarantees that your videos are going to remain sharp even if the camera wasn’t perfectly still while you were recording. Somewhat smaller aperture range makes this lens poor choice for low light scenes, although you can get decent results if you manage to keep the camera still.

2. Rokinon 8mm Ultra Wide f/3.5 Fisheye Lens

Outdoor videos look much cooler when they are recorded with a wide-angle lens because the wider field of view enables you to capture more space in a shot. Fisheye lenses were made popular by GoPro cameras because they make the videos look more fun while producing high image quality. Rokinon 8mm lens allows you to adjust focus and aperture manually so you can fine-tune your shot before hitting the record button. To make things even better this model is compatible with a wide range of cameras including Pentax, Canon or Nikon DSLRs. It has a relatively fast aperture that enables it to deliver solid performances under low light conditions.

3.Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens

The EF 50mm is a fixed lens with an f-stop of 1.8, which means it is great for blurring your background and performs well even in poorer lighting conditions. This is a really great lens for an opinion or beauty vlog, where you do not need to move around. You can stay put right where the focus is sharpest and stand out by blurring everything behind you. If you tend to reuse the same sets then you do not really need a zoom feature. If your shooting conditions rarely change then it is just as easy to use a reliable fixed lens like the EF 50mm since you will not need to be rethinking your set up and adjusting.

If you are looking for an inexpensive prime lens that lets you create sharp videos with shallow depth of field, you should look no further. This model is one of three Canon’s 50mm prime lenses, although the 50mm f/1.4 USM and 50mm f/1.2 ‘L’ USM models are much more expensive. You can use it to record a lot of different types of YouTube videos, like product reviews or makeup tutorials. The 50 mm f/1.8 STM lens doesn’t have image stabilization technology so you should try to be as still as you can possibly be when shooting handheld videos in order to avoid recording footage that has a lot of camera shakes.

4.Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens

Recording moving objects from a distance requires you to have a lens that allows you to smoothly track their movements while keeping the subject in focus. The Canon EF 135mm f2/L USM lens is perhaps one of the best telephoto lenses on the market because it uses L glass that is widely accepted as the best in the industry. The Canon’s telephoto lens is compatible with ASP-C and Full Frame EF mount cameras. Keep in mind that this is also a prime lens and you can’t increase or decrease its focal length, but even so, it is a perfect choice for documentary-style videos.

5.Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens

The Tamron’s standard zoom lens offers good value at a very reasonable price. The maximum aperture is f/2.8, while the minimum aperture value this lens supports is f/32, which means that its users can easily experiment with different depths of field. The lens is compatible with most Canon cameras so if you have a camera from another manufacturer you may have to use the lens adapter in order to mount it onto your camera. Like most standard zoom lenses, Tamron SP AF model is highly versatile and you can use it to record a wide range of different scenes.

A lot of zoom lenses do not have wide enough apertures to create blurred backgrounds, but this Tamron lens is an exception at f/2.8. This low f-stop also means that it performs better in poor lighting conditions than a lot of other zoom lenses. If your shooting conditions change a lot – if you often change locations, for example – then it will be good to have a sturdy, well-built, zoom lens like the AF 17-mm that can be quickly adapted to new angles and distances.

6.Sony 30mm f/3.5 Macro

All Sony’s APS-C format E mount cameras are compatible with this multi-purpose lens. When mounted the 30mm lens provides a 45mm focal length equivalent, which means that you can use it to take macro shots of products or to record medium or close-up shots. This is a prime lens, so changing the focal length isn’t really an option, but the 1:1 life-size magnification, as well as the 0.9-inch working distance, allow you to get close to the subjects in the video. The aperture range is between f/3.5 and f/22 which means that you can choose how shallow the depth of field in your shot should be.

If you are using a 4k camera to shoot your YouTube video, check out best camera lens for 4k professional production.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A DSLR is the ideal camera for some vlogs, and using a DSLR means you get to customize the look of your vlog by choosing the perfect lens. Choosing the best camera lens for your YouTube channel can be tricky because there are so many options. This article will walk you through some of them, and make two recommendations of great vlogging lenses. If you already have a good understanding of how camera lenses work then feel free to scroll down to the lens recs.

Part 1. Understanding Lenses: Zoom lens, Fixed lens, aperture, f-stop

There are two main categories of camera lenses: ‘zoom’ – lenses that allow you to zoom in and out – and ‘fixed’. If your lenses are tools then zoom lenses are Swiss army knives; they are very versatile. Fixed lenses, also called prime lenses, have more specific purposes. Do you need a tool that can do a lot of things, or a tool that is perfect for one specific job? Sometimes it is useful to have access to both.

We have explained the differences between Fixed lens and Zoom lens and advantages of using each lens, check this article: Zoom Lens vs. Fixed Lenses: Which one is best for YouTuber? for the detailed information.

Before we get into the recommendations here is a little background information on lenses in general:

Beginner’s Guide to Aperture and F-Stops

In order to be able to select the lens you’ll be using to record your YouTube videos, you first need to understand a few very basic concepts, such as aperture or f-stops.

1.What is a lens’s aperture?

The aperture of your lens is the hole through which light reaches your camera’s sensor, or the film if you are using a film camera. The wider your aperture is the more light you are letting into your camera. In low light it is better to have a wide aperture, and when you are working with a lot of light it is better to have a narrow aperture so your footage is not overexposed.

Aperture is simply an opening in the lens that lets the light through. If you want to increase the amount of the light that is reaching the camera’s sensor you need to open up the aperture blades that are located in the lens. The f-values like f/1.2 or f/1.8 indicate that the aperture is wide open and that the camera is receiving the maximum amount of light a lens you’re using can provide.

2.What is an ‘f-stop’?

Light passes through your lens’s aperture on its way to your camera’s sensor, and the f-stop of your lens relates to the amount of light it lets in. The lower your f-stop, the wider your aperture, and the more light you are letting into your camera. The more light you let into your camera the easier it is to achieve a blurred background. A lot of vloggers love blurring their backgrounds because it is a quick way to disguising the rooms they are shooting in.

F-stops are written like ‘f/1.8’ or ‘f/4’ on your lens. For more information on f-stops and blurring your background read “The Best Bokeh Lens - How to Get the Blurred Background for YouTube Videos” and watch Tasha’s video.

F-stops or f-numbers indicate how open the aperture is, so for example if your camera is displaying f/32 value it means that your camera is letting very little light to get through to the camera’s sensor. The f-number depends on a few other parameters such as shutter speed, exposure or ISO values. Large apertures provide a shallow depth of field which creates a smooth and artistic background blur, while a small aperture enables you to keep both the background and the foreground of your shot in focus.

Part 2: Types of Camera Lenses

The visual aspect of a video may not be the only thing you’ll have to dedicate special attention to while recording your YouTube video, but it is surely one of the most important factors of the video production process. A lens you are using will largely contribute to the aesthetics of the video. That’s why you need to know which type of lens will deliver the best results when shooting different types of scenes. Here are some of the most common types of lenses you’ll encounter.

Standard lenses

These lenses are featured in almost all camera kits, so the chances are that if you have a DSLR camera you already have a standard, mid-range lens. These lenses commonly have a fixed 50mm focal length, although zoom lenses with focal lengths in the range between 35mm and 75mm are also considered standard. You can use them to capture medium shots, single or multiple figure shots, and in some cases establishing shots, because they offer enough versatility to cover a multitude of different scenes. Standard lenses often have large apertures, which makes them quite useful if you often shoot videos under light conditions you can’t control.

Macro lenses

Details, product shots or any other subject that can be filmed from close proximity looks better if they are recorded with macro lenses. The high contrast and sharpness these lenses provide allow you to create stunning close-ups of all hosts, guests or actors in your YouTube videos. What’s more, if you are presenting a new product to your audience you can use the macro lens to make some captivating shots that will attract more audience. Zoom lenses can also be used for macro photography and video, although prime macro lenses produce better results.

Telephoto lenses

The subjects of your videos don’t always have to be in your immediate surroundings, because telephoto lenses let you capture scenes that are several miles away from you. Wildlife or sports videographers frequently use telephoto lenses because they don’t have another way of getting close to their subjects. However, telephoto lenses with 70-300mm focal length can also be used to take stunning portraits or close up shots. The biggest downside of telephoto lenses is their weight because the lenses with higher focal lengths can weigh up to 10lbs, which makes them a bit inconvenient to always carry with you.

Wide-angle lenses

Recording videos of vast open spaces, breathtaking vistas or beautiful city views is much easier if you have a wide-angle lens. The short focal length allows the lens to have a wider field of view which covers more space than standard or telephoto lenses. Wide-angle lenses also have lower apertures than lenses with longer focal lengths which results in images that have a shallow depth of field. Ultra-wide lenses like fisheye distort the view so the videos recorded with these lenses often suffer from the lack of realism.

Specialist lenses

YouTubers who are working on demanding projects can try to solve their troubles by using a specialist lens. Soft-focus lenses can help you take better portraits while tilt-shift lenses allow you to control the perspective. However, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which you’ll need a specialist lense if you are just starting out since even experienced videographers only use special lenses when they have absolutely no better way to record a scene.

Part 3: Recommended Best Camera Lenses for Shooting YouTube Videos

Here are a couple great lenses that might be good fits for you and your YouTube channel. The thing that makes them both ideal for vlogging is that they have low enough f-stops to blur out your background.

Camera Lens	Type	Price	Aperture	Focal Length
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens	Wide angle	$279	f/4.5-5.6	10 -18mm
Rokinon 8mm f/3.5	Fisheye	$249	f/3.5	8mm
Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens	Prime	$125	f/1.8	50mm
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens	Telephoto	$999	f/2	135mm
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8	Standard Zoom	$299	f/2.8	17 -50mm
Sony 30mm f/3.5 Macro	Macro	$278	f/3.5	30mm

1.Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens

Canon released this lens in 2014 and shortly after it has gained the reputation of one of the most reliable wide to ultra-wide lenses for Canon cameras. Like most STM lenses, it offers incredibly fast autofocus technology that makes it a great choice for fast-paced action videos. The lens is equipped with an image stabilization system which guarantees that your videos are going to remain sharp even if the camera wasn’t perfectly still while you were recording. Somewhat smaller aperture range makes this lens poor choice for low light scenes, although you can get decent results if you manage to keep the camera still.

2. Rokinon 8mm Ultra Wide f/3.5 Fisheye Lens

Outdoor videos look much cooler when they are recorded with a wide-angle lens because the wider field of view enables you to capture more space in a shot. Fisheye lenses were made popular by GoPro cameras because they make the videos look more fun while producing high image quality. Rokinon 8mm lens allows you to adjust focus and aperture manually so you can fine-tune your shot before hitting the record button. To make things even better this model is compatible with a wide range of cameras including Pentax, Canon or Nikon DSLRs. It has a relatively fast aperture that enables it to deliver solid performances under low light conditions.

3.Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens

The EF 50mm is a fixed lens with an f-stop of 1.8, which means it is great for blurring your background and performs well even in poorer lighting conditions. This is a really great lens for an opinion or beauty vlog, where you do not need to move around. You can stay put right where the focus is sharpest and stand out by blurring everything behind you. If you tend to reuse the same sets then you do not really need a zoom feature. If your shooting conditions rarely change then it is just as easy to use a reliable fixed lens like the EF 50mm since you will not need to be rethinking your set up and adjusting.

If you are looking for an inexpensive prime lens that lets you create sharp videos with shallow depth of field, you should look no further. This model is one of three Canon’s 50mm prime lenses, although the 50mm f/1.4 USM and 50mm f/1.2 ‘L’ USM models are much more expensive. You can use it to record a lot of different types of YouTube videos, like product reviews or makeup tutorials. The 50 mm f/1.8 STM lens doesn’t have image stabilization technology so you should try to be as still as you can possibly be when shooting handheld videos in order to avoid recording footage that has a lot of camera shakes.

4.Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens

Recording moving objects from a distance requires you to have a lens that allows you to smoothly track their movements while keeping the subject in focus. The Canon EF 135mm f2/L USM lens is perhaps one of the best telephoto lenses on the market because it uses L glass that is widely accepted as the best in the industry. The Canon’s telephoto lens is compatible with ASP-C and Full Frame EF mount cameras. Keep in mind that this is also a prime lens and you can’t increase or decrease its focal length, but even so, it is a perfect choice for documentary-style videos.

5.Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens

The Tamron’s standard zoom lens offers good value at a very reasonable price. The maximum aperture is f/2.8, while the minimum aperture value this lens supports is f/32, which means that its users can easily experiment with different depths of field. The lens is compatible with most Canon cameras so if you have a camera from another manufacturer you may have to use the lens adapter in order to mount it onto your camera. Like most standard zoom lenses, Tamron SP AF model is highly versatile and you can use it to record a wide range of different scenes.

A lot of zoom lenses do not have wide enough apertures to create blurred backgrounds, but this Tamron lens is an exception at f/2.8. This low f-stop also means that it performs better in poor lighting conditions than a lot of other zoom lenses. If your shooting conditions change a lot – if you often change locations, for example – then it will be good to have a sturdy, well-built, zoom lens like the AF 17-mm that can be quickly adapted to new angles and distances.

6.Sony 30mm f/3.5 Macro

All Sony’s APS-C format E mount cameras are compatible with this multi-purpose lens. When mounted the 30mm lens provides a 45mm focal length equivalent, which means that you can use it to take macro shots of products or to record medium or close-up shots. This is a prime lens, so changing the focal length isn’t really an option, but the 1:1 life-size magnification, as well as the 0.9-inch working distance, allow you to get close to the subjects in the video. The aperture range is between f/3.5 and f/22 which means that you can choose how shallow the depth of field in your shot should be.

If you are using a 4k camera to shoot your YouTube video, check out best camera lens for 4k professional production.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A DSLR is the ideal camera for some vlogs, and using a DSLR means you get to customize the look of your vlog by choosing the perfect lens. Choosing the best camera lens for your YouTube channel can be tricky because there are so many options. This article will walk you through some of them, and make two recommendations of great vlogging lenses. If you already have a good understanding of how camera lenses work then feel free to scroll down to the lens recs.

Part 1. Understanding Lenses: Zoom lens, Fixed lens, aperture, f-stop

There are two main categories of camera lenses: ‘zoom’ – lenses that allow you to zoom in and out – and ‘fixed’. If your lenses are tools then zoom lenses are Swiss army knives; they are very versatile. Fixed lenses, also called prime lenses, have more specific purposes. Do you need a tool that can do a lot of things, or a tool that is perfect for one specific job? Sometimes it is useful to have access to both.

We have explained the differences between Fixed lens and Zoom lens and advantages of using each lens, check this article: Zoom Lens vs. Fixed Lenses: Which one is best for YouTuber? for the detailed information.

Before we get into the recommendations here is a little background information on lenses in general:

Beginner’s Guide to Aperture and F-Stops

In order to be able to select the lens you’ll be using to record your YouTube videos, you first need to understand a few very basic concepts, such as aperture or f-stops.

1.What is a lens’s aperture?

The aperture of your lens is the hole through which light reaches your camera’s sensor, or the film if you are using a film camera. The wider your aperture is the more light you are letting into your camera. In low light it is better to have a wide aperture, and when you are working with a lot of light it is better to have a narrow aperture so your footage is not overexposed.

Aperture is simply an opening in the lens that lets the light through. If you want to increase the amount of the light that is reaching the camera’s sensor you need to open up the aperture blades that are located in the lens. The f-values like f/1.2 or f/1.8 indicate that the aperture is wide open and that the camera is receiving the maximum amount of light a lens you’re using can provide.

2.What is an ‘f-stop’?

Light passes through your lens’s aperture on its way to your camera’s sensor, and the f-stop of your lens relates to the amount of light it lets in. The lower your f-stop, the wider your aperture, and the more light you are letting into your camera. The more light you let into your camera the easier it is to achieve a blurred background. A lot of vloggers love blurring their backgrounds because it is a quick way to disguising the rooms they are shooting in.

F-stops are written like ‘f/1.8’ or ‘f/4’ on your lens. For more information on f-stops and blurring your background read “The Best Bokeh Lens - How to Get the Blurred Background for YouTube Videos” and watch Tasha’s video.

F-stops or f-numbers indicate how open the aperture is, so for example if your camera is displaying f/32 value it means that your camera is letting very little light to get through to the camera’s sensor. The f-number depends on a few other parameters such as shutter speed, exposure or ISO values. Large apertures provide a shallow depth of field which creates a smooth and artistic background blur, while a small aperture enables you to keep both the background and the foreground of your shot in focus.

Part 2: Types of Camera Lenses

The visual aspect of a video may not be the only thing you’ll have to dedicate special attention to while recording your YouTube video, but it is surely one of the most important factors of the video production process. A lens you are using will largely contribute to the aesthetics of the video. That’s why you need to know which type of lens will deliver the best results when shooting different types of scenes. Here are some of the most common types of lenses you’ll encounter.

Standard lenses

These lenses are featured in almost all camera kits, so the chances are that if you have a DSLR camera you already have a standard, mid-range lens. These lenses commonly have a fixed 50mm focal length, although zoom lenses with focal lengths in the range between 35mm and 75mm are also considered standard. You can use them to capture medium shots, single or multiple figure shots, and in some cases establishing shots, because they offer enough versatility to cover a multitude of different scenes. Standard lenses often have large apertures, which makes them quite useful if you often shoot videos under light conditions you can’t control.

Macro lenses

Details, product shots or any other subject that can be filmed from close proximity looks better if they are recorded with macro lenses. The high contrast and sharpness these lenses provide allow you to create stunning close-ups of all hosts, guests or actors in your YouTube videos. What’s more, if you are presenting a new product to your audience you can use the macro lens to make some captivating shots that will attract more audience. Zoom lenses can also be used for macro photography and video, although prime macro lenses produce better results.

Telephoto lenses

The subjects of your videos don’t always have to be in your immediate surroundings, because telephoto lenses let you capture scenes that are several miles away from you. Wildlife or sports videographers frequently use telephoto lenses because they don’t have another way of getting close to their subjects. However, telephoto lenses with 70-300mm focal length can also be used to take stunning portraits or close up shots. The biggest downside of telephoto lenses is their weight because the lenses with higher focal lengths can weigh up to 10lbs, which makes them a bit inconvenient to always carry with you.

Wide-angle lenses

Recording videos of vast open spaces, breathtaking vistas or beautiful city views is much easier if you have a wide-angle lens. The short focal length allows the lens to have a wider field of view which covers more space than standard or telephoto lenses. Wide-angle lenses also have lower apertures than lenses with longer focal lengths which results in images that have a shallow depth of field. Ultra-wide lenses like fisheye distort the view so the videos recorded with these lenses often suffer from the lack of realism.

Specialist lenses

YouTubers who are working on demanding projects can try to solve their troubles by using a specialist lens. Soft-focus lenses can help you take better portraits while tilt-shift lenses allow you to control the perspective. However, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which you’ll need a specialist lense if you are just starting out since even experienced videographers only use special lenses when they have absolutely no better way to record a scene.

Part 3: Recommended Best Camera Lenses for Shooting YouTube Videos

Here are a couple great lenses that might be good fits for you and your YouTube channel. The thing that makes them both ideal for vlogging is that they have low enough f-stops to blur out your background.

Camera Lens	Type	Price	Aperture	Focal Length
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens	Wide angle	$279	f/4.5-5.6	10 -18mm
Rokinon 8mm f/3.5	Fisheye	$249	f/3.5	8mm
Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens	Prime	$125	f/1.8	50mm
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens	Telephoto	$999	f/2	135mm
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8	Standard Zoom	$299	f/2.8	17 -50mm
Sony 30mm f/3.5 Macro	Macro	$278	f/3.5	30mm

1.Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens

Canon released this lens in 2014 and shortly after it has gained the reputation of one of the most reliable wide to ultra-wide lenses for Canon cameras. Like most STM lenses, it offers incredibly fast autofocus technology that makes it a great choice for fast-paced action videos. The lens is equipped with an image stabilization system which guarantees that your videos are going to remain sharp even if the camera wasn’t perfectly still while you were recording. Somewhat smaller aperture range makes this lens poor choice for low light scenes, although you can get decent results if you manage to keep the camera still.

2. Rokinon 8mm Ultra Wide f/3.5 Fisheye Lens

Outdoor videos look much cooler when they are recorded with a wide-angle lens because the wider field of view enables you to capture more space in a shot. Fisheye lenses were made popular by GoPro cameras because they make the videos look more fun while producing high image quality. Rokinon 8mm lens allows you to adjust focus and aperture manually so you can fine-tune your shot before hitting the record button. To make things even better this model is compatible with a wide range of cameras including Pentax, Canon or Nikon DSLRs. It has a relatively fast aperture that enables it to deliver solid performances under low light conditions.

3.Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens

The EF 50mm is a fixed lens with an f-stop of 1.8, which means it is great for blurring your background and performs well even in poorer lighting conditions. This is a really great lens for an opinion or beauty vlog, where you do not need to move around. You can stay put right where the focus is sharpest and stand out by blurring everything behind you. If you tend to reuse the same sets then you do not really need a zoom feature. If your shooting conditions rarely change then it is just as easy to use a reliable fixed lens like the EF 50mm since you will not need to be rethinking your set up and adjusting.

If you are looking for an inexpensive prime lens that lets you create sharp videos with shallow depth of field, you should look no further. This model is one of three Canon’s 50mm prime lenses, although the 50mm f/1.4 USM and 50mm f/1.2 ‘L’ USM models are much more expensive. You can use it to record a lot of different types of YouTube videos, like product reviews or makeup tutorials. The 50 mm f/1.8 STM lens doesn’t have image stabilization technology so you should try to be as still as you can possibly be when shooting handheld videos in order to avoid recording footage that has a lot of camera shakes.

4.Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens

Recording moving objects from a distance requires you to have a lens that allows you to smoothly track their movements while keeping the subject in focus. The Canon EF 135mm f2/L USM lens is perhaps one of the best telephoto lenses on the market because it uses L glass that is widely accepted as the best in the industry. The Canon’s telephoto lens is compatible with ASP-C and Full Frame EF mount cameras. Keep in mind that this is also a prime lens and you can’t increase or decrease its focal length, but even so, it is a perfect choice for documentary-style videos.

5.Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens

The Tamron’s standard zoom lens offers good value at a very reasonable price. The maximum aperture is f/2.8, while the minimum aperture value this lens supports is f/32, which means that its users can easily experiment with different depths of field. The lens is compatible with most Canon cameras so if you have a camera from another manufacturer you may have to use the lens adapter in order to mount it onto your camera. Like most standard zoom lenses, Tamron SP AF model is highly versatile and you can use it to record a wide range of different scenes.

A lot of zoom lenses do not have wide enough apertures to create blurred backgrounds, but this Tamron lens is an exception at f/2.8. This low f-stop also means that it performs better in poor lighting conditions than a lot of other zoom lenses. If your shooting conditions change a lot – if you often change locations, for example – then it will be good to have a sturdy, well-built, zoom lens like the AF 17-mm that can be quickly adapted to new angles and distances.

6.Sony 30mm f/3.5 Macro

All Sony’s APS-C format E mount cameras are compatible with this multi-purpose lens. When mounted the 30mm lens provides a 45mm focal length equivalent, which means that you can use it to take macro shots of products or to record medium or close-up shots. This is a prime lens, so changing the focal length isn’t really an option, but the 1:1 life-size magnification, as well as the 0.9-inch working distance, allow you to get close to the subjects in the video. The aperture range is between f/3.5 and f/22 which means that you can choose how shallow the depth of field in your shot should be.

If you are using a 4k camera to shoot your YouTube video, check out best camera lens for 4k professional production.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A DSLR is the ideal camera for some vlogs, and using a DSLR means you get to customize the look of your vlog by choosing the perfect lens. Choosing the best camera lens for your YouTube channel can be tricky because there are so many options. This article will walk you through some of them, and make two recommendations of great vlogging lenses. If you already have a good understanding of how camera lenses work then feel free to scroll down to the lens recs.

Part 1. Understanding Lenses: Zoom lens, Fixed lens, aperture, f-stop

There are two main categories of camera lenses: ‘zoom’ – lenses that allow you to zoom in and out – and ‘fixed’. If your lenses are tools then zoom lenses are Swiss army knives; they are very versatile. Fixed lenses, also called prime lenses, have more specific purposes. Do you need a tool that can do a lot of things, or a tool that is perfect for one specific job? Sometimes it is useful to have access to both.

We have explained the differences between Fixed lens and Zoom lens and advantages of using each lens, check this article: Zoom Lens vs. Fixed Lenses: Which one is best for YouTuber? for the detailed information.

Before we get into the recommendations here is a little background information on lenses in general:

Beginner’s Guide to Aperture and F-Stops

In order to be able to select the lens you’ll be using to record your YouTube videos, you first need to understand a few very basic concepts, such as aperture or f-stops.

1.What is a lens’s aperture?

The aperture of your lens is the hole through which light reaches your camera’s sensor, or the film if you are using a film camera. The wider your aperture is the more light you are letting into your camera. In low light it is better to have a wide aperture, and when you are working with a lot of light it is better to have a narrow aperture so your footage is not overexposed.

Aperture is simply an opening in the lens that lets the light through. If you want to increase the amount of the light that is reaching the camera’s sensor you need to open up the aperture blades that are located in the lens. The f-values like f/1.2 or f/1.8 indicate that the aperture is wide open and that the camera is receiving the maximum amount of light a lens you’re using can provide.

2.What is an ‘f-stop’?

Light passes through your lens’s aperture on its way to your camera’s sensor, and the f-stop of your lens relates to the amount of light it lets in. The lower your f-stop, the wider your aperture, and the more light you are letting into your camera. The more light you let into your camera the easier it is to achieve a blurred background. A lot of vloggers love blurring their backgrounds because it is a quick way to disguising the rooms they are shooting in.

F-stops are written like ‘f/1.8’ or ‘f/4’ on your lens. For more information on f-stops and blurring your background read “The Best Bokeh Lens - How to Get the Blurred Background for YouTube Videos” and watch Tasha’s video.

F-stops or f-numbers indicate how open the aperture is, so for example if your camera is displaying f/32 value it means that your camera is letting very little light to get through to the camera’s sensor. The f-number depends on a few other parameters such as shutter speed, exposure or ISO values. Large apertures provide a shallow depth of field which creates a smooth and artistic background blur, while a small aperture enables you to keep both the background and the foreground of your shot in focus.

Part 2: Types of Camera Lenses

The visual aspect of a video may not be the only thing you’ll have to dedicate special attention to while recording your YouTube video, but it is surely one of the most important factors of the video production process. A lens you are using will largely contribute to the aesthetics of the video. That’s why you need to know which type of lens will deliver the best results when shooting different types of scenes. Here are some of the most common types of lenses you’ll encounter.

Standard lenses

These lenses are featured in almost all camera kits, so the chances are that if you have a DSLR camera you already have a standard, mid-range lens. These lenses commonly have a fixed 50mm focal length, although zoom lenses with focal lengths in the range between 35mm and 75mm are also considered standard. You can use them to capture medium shots, single or multiple figure shots, and in some cases establishing shots, because they offer enough versatility to cover a multitude of different scenes. Standard lenses often have large apertures, which makes them quite useful if you often shoot videos under light conditions you can’t control.

Macro lenses

Details, product shots or any other subject that can be filmed from close proximity looks better if they are recorded with macro lenses. The high contrast and sharpness these lenses provide allow you to create stunning close-ups of all hosts, guests or actors in your YouTube videos. What’s more, if you are presenting a new product to your audience you can use the macro lens to make some captivating shots that will attract more audience. Zoom lenses can also be used for macro photography and video, although prime macro lenses produce better results.

Telephoto lenses

The subjects of your videos don’t always have to be in your immediate surroundings, because telephoto lenses let you capture scenes that are several miles away from you. Wildlife or sports videographers frequently use telephoto lenses because they don’t have another way of getting close to their subjects. However, telephoto lenses with 70-300mm focal length can also be used to take stunning portraits or close up shots. The biggest downside of telephoto lenses is their weight because the lenses with higher focal lengths can weigh up to 10lbs, which makes them a bit inconvenient to always carry with you.

Wide-angle lenses

Recording videos of vast open spaces, breathtaking vistas or beautiful city views is much easier if you have a wide-angle lens. The short focal length allows the lens to have a wider field of view which covers more space than standard or telephoto lenses. Wide-angle lenses also have lower apertures than lenses with longer focal lengths which results in images that have a shallow depth of field. Ultra-wide lenses like fisheye distort the view so the videos recorded with these lenses often suffer from the lack of realism.

Specialist lenses

YouTubers who are working on demanding projects can try to solve their troubles by using a specialist lens. Soft-focus lenses can help you take better portraits while tilt-shift lenses allow you to control the perspective. However, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which you’ll need a specialist lense if you are just starting out since even experienced videographers only use special lenses when they have absolutely no better way to record a scene.

Part 3: Recommended Best Camera Lenses for Shooting YouTube Videos

Here are a couple great lenses that might be good fits for you and your YouTube channel. The thing that makes them both ideal for vlogging is that they have low enough f-stops to blur out your background.

Camera Lens	Type	Price	Aperture	Focal Length
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens	Wide angle	$279	f/4.5-5.6	10 -18mm
Rokinon 8mm f/3.5	Fisheye	$249	f/3.5	8mm
Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens	Prime	$125	f/1.8	50mm
Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens	Telephoto	$999	f/2	135mm
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8	Standard Zoom	$299	f/2.8	17 -50mm
Sony 30mm f/3.5 Macro	Macro	$278	f/3.5	30mm

1.Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens

Canon released this lens in 2014 and shortly after it has gained the reputation of one of the most reliable wide to ultra-wide lenses for Canon cameras. Like most STM lenses, it offers incredibly fast autofocus technology that makes it a great choice for fast-paced action videos. The lens is equipped with an image stabilization system which guarantees that your videos are going to remain sharp even if the camera wasn’t perfectly still while you were recording. Somewhat smaller aperture range makes this lens poor choice for low light scenes, although you can get decent results if you manage to keep the camera still.

2. Rokinon 8mm Ultra Wide f/3.5 Fisheye Lens

Outdoor videos look much cooler when they are recorded with a wide-angle lens because the wider field of view enables you to capture more space in a shot. Fisheye lenses were made popular by GoPro cameras because they make the videos look more fun while producing high image quality. Rokinon 8mm lens allows you to adjust focus and aperture manually so you can fine-tune your shot before hitting the record button. To make things even better this model is compatible with a wide range of cameras including Pentax, Canon or Nikon DSLRs. It has a relatively fast aperture that enables it to deliver solid performances under low light conditions.

3.Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens

The EF 50mm is a fixed lens with an f-stop of 1.8, which means it is great for blurring your background and performs well even in poorer lighting conditions. This is a really great lens for an opinion or beauty vlog, where you do not need to move around. You can stay put right where the focus is sharpest and stand out by blurring everything behind you. If you tend to reuse the same sets then you do not really need a zoom feature. If your shooting conditions rarely change then it is just as easy to use a reliable fixed lens like the EF 50mm since you will not need to be rethinking your set up and adjusting.

If you are looking for an inexpensive prime lens that lets you create sharp videos with shallow depth of field, you should look no further. This model is one of three Canon’s 50mm prime lenses, although the 50mm f/1.4 USM and 50mm f/1.2 ‘L’ USM models are much more expensive. You can use it to record a lot of different types of YouTube videos, like product reviews or makeup tutorials. The 50 mm f/1.8 STM lens doesn’t have image stabilization technology so you should try to be as still as you can possibly be when shooting handheld videos in order to avoid recording footage that has a lot of camera shakes.

4.Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens

Recording moving objects from a distance requires you to have a lens that allows you to smoothly track their movements while keeping the subject in focus. The Canon EF 135mm f2/L USM lens is perhaps one of the best telephoto lenses on the market because it uses L glass that is widely accepted as the best in the industry. The Canon’s telephoto lens is compatible with ASP-C and Full Frame EF mount cameras. Keep in mind that this is also a prime lens and you can’t increase or decrease its focal length, but even so, it is a perfect choice for documentary-style videos.

5.Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens

The Tamron’s standard zoom lens offers good value at a very reasonable price. The maximum aperture is f/2.8, while the minimum aperture value this lens supports is f/32, which means that its users can easily experiment with different depths of field. The lens is compatible with most Canon cameras so if you have a camera from another manufacturer you may have to use the lens adapter in order to mount it onto your camera. Like most standard zoom lenses, Tamron SP AF model is highly versatile and you can use it to record a wide range of different scenes.

A lot of zoom lenses do not have wide enough apertures to create blurred backgrounds, but this Tamron lens is an exception at f/2.8. This low f-stop also means that it performs better in poor lighting conditions than a lot of other zoom lenses. If your shooting conditions change a lot – if you often change locations, for example – then it will be good to have a sturdy, well-built, zoom lens like the AF 17-mm that can be quickly adapted to new angles and distances.

6.Sony 30mm f/3.5 Macro

All Sony’s APS-C format E mount cameras are compatible with this multi-purpose lens. When mounted the 30mm lens provides a 45mm focal length equivalent, which means that you can use it to take macro shots of products or to record medium or close-up shots. This is a prime lens, so changing the focal length isn’t really an option, but the 1:1 life-size magnification, as well as the 0.9-inch working distance, allow you to get close to the subjects in the video. The aperture range is between f/3.5 and f/22 which means that you can choose how shallow the depth of field in your shot should be.

If you are using a 4k camera to shoot your YouTube video, check out best camera lens for 4k professional production.

Richard Bennett

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

Follow @Richard Bennett

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