!["[New] 2024 Approved A Compreenas Guide to Choosing Ideal Lenses for Filmmaking"](https://thmb.techidaily.com/1f277a1e71fd10df1b01699e57758c33c523b120ed3c32dedf0e24f515c80068.png)
"[New] 2024 Approved A Compreenas Guide to Choosing Ideal Lenses for Filmmaking"
![](/images/site-logo.png)
A Compreenas Guide to Choosing Ideal Lenses for Filmmaking
A Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses
Richard Bennett
Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions
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
Also read:
- [New] In 2024, Expert Filmmaking Skills on YouTube and Diverse Platforms
- [New] 2024 Approved Amplify Your Music Experience with YouTube's Playlist Guide
- [New] Unlocking Efficiency The Top 5 Video Shortener Tools
- [Updated] How To Add Captions to YouTube Videos
- [New] Top 8 Youtuber Blunders to Avoid and Why They're Common
- 2024 Approved Unleash Creative Potential with Free Effs!
- [Updated] Your Go-To List ASMR on Phone Platforms
- [Updated] In 2024, Capturing Youtube Icons Browser Extension, Command Line & Software Trio
- [Updated] Elevate Your Videography - 7 Free Sound Effects Collection for 2024
- [Updated] Top 15 Trending YouTube Opening Sequences
- [New] Crafting Perfect YouTube Music Sets for 2024
- [Updated] In 2024, Elevate Your Content with Professional End Screen Templates
- [Updated] 2024 Approved Elevate Your Views Degrees of Rotation on YouTube - A 2023 Guide
- [Updated] 2024 Approved Craft a Memorable First Snap Your Shorts' Thumbnail Blueprint
- Professional Thumbnail Creation for YouTube (macOS Style) for 2024
- [Updated] Skyline Your Videos Dodging the Bot Observers
- [Updated] In 2024, Ethical Approaches to Extract MP4 From YouTube
- [New] In 2024, Enriched Viewing Experience with These Free Downloader Apps for YouTubes
- [Updated] 2024 Approved Capture Your Audience The Smartphone Guide to YouTube Thumbnails
- [New] The Role of Youtube Images in Video Promotion and Discovery
- [New] Essentials to Skyrocketing Video Views on YouTube for 2024
- [New] In 2024, Charting Success with YouTube Income Streams
- [New] In 2024, A Peek Into the Heart of YouTube's Video Operations
- [Updated] In 2024, Dive Into iOS Screenshots A Comprehensive YouTube Guide
- [Updated] Amplify Engagement Increase YouTube Viewers for 2024
- [Updated] In 2024, Creators Uniting for Marvel's Digital Future
- [New] In 2024, Crafting Professionalism The Best Practices for Post-Upload Editing
- [New] 2024 Approved Examining the Income Mechanics of TSeries on YouTube
- [Updated] Chuckle Campaign 7 Ingenious Ideas for Funny YouTube Videos for 2024
- Organize and Share Music How to Make YouTube Playlists Easier for 2024
- Viral Audio Waves Top 10 BGM for YouTube Short Videos for 2024
- [Updated] Enhancing Viewers' Interest with Innovative Valorant Thumbnail Ideas for 2024
- 2024 Approved Top 12 Real-Time YouTube Subscriber Trackers
- [Updated] From Startup to Stardom with YouTube SEO Basics
- [New] In 2024, 6 Must-Visit Destinations For Top-Notch YouTube Branding Elements
- [Updated] Tips to Perfectly Integrate Jump Cuts Into Videos
- Step-by-Step Guide for Elevating Your Youtube Feedback with Emojis for 2024
- [Updated] In 2024, Enhance Visibility With Any Channel Title Through Free Makers
- [New] Master the Art of YouTube Visibility (Two Steps)
- [Updated] In 2024, A Year in the Market Top 15 Finance Videos
- [Updated] The Art of Lyric Videos Using Lyric Video Maker Software
- [New] Navigating Nerves in 10 Must-Do Vlogs
- [Updated] What Lies Beneath An Exploration Into YouTube's Unlisted Video Space
- [Updated] Sound Savvy Your Guide to the Top 6 Free Android Downloader Apps for Youtube
- [Updated] In 2024, Cozy Up Your Videos Best Winter Bg's Revealed
- In 2024, EditMaster App
- [New] Rapid TikTok Downloads Flawless MP4 Format Conversions for 2024
- Crafting Immersive Experiences with Audio in Canva for 2024
- [New] Ultimate Guide Vimeo Video Grabs
- Quick Snapback to Loss Prevention for 2024
- In 2024, How To Use Allshare Cast To Turn On Screen Mirroring On Vivo S17t | Dr.fone
- In 2024, How to Track WhatsApp Messages on Vivo Y36i Without Them Knowing? | Dr.fone
- Updated 2024 Approved How to Comment on YouTube Live Chat
- New Guide To Scaling and Setting Videos in Filmora | Tutorial
- [Updated] Unlocking Potential The Right Propeller Match in FPV Flight
- [Updated] In 2024, Harmonizing Posts with Instagram Music
- Can I Bypass a Forgotten Phone Password Of Samsung Galaxy A25 5G?
- The Ultimate Journey in Sky High 4K Clarity
- How To Transfer Data From iPhone 15 Plus To Other iPhone 11 devices? | Dr.fone
- In 2024, How to Change Nokia C22 Location on Skout | Dr.fone
- [Updated] Guide to the Cheapest Online Video Capture Tools for 2024
- Updated The Comprehensive Technique for Merging Diverse Auditory Elements
- How to Mirror Your Lava Blaze 2 Pro Screen to PC with Chromecast | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Complete Review & Guide to Techeligible FRP Bypass and More For Poco M6 Pro 4G
- Strategies for Apps That Wont Download From Play Store On Samsung Galaxy M34 5G | Dr.fone
- Title: "[New] 2024 Approved A Compreenas Guide to Choosing Ideal Lenses for Filmmaking"
- Author: Kenneth
- Created at : 2024-06-05 09:07:06
- Updated at : 2024-06-06 09:07:06
- Link: https://facebook-video-footage.techidaily.com/new-2024-approved-a-compreenas-guide-to-choosing-ideal-lenses-for-filmmaking/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.