From Video Lessons to Vivid, Engaging GIFs – No Download Needed

How to Convert YouTube Videos to GIFs

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A GIF adds an extra element to any conversation and makes the reader feel connected to the post. Using GIF can turn useful if done rightly. It narrates a story in a single animated image for social media conversation. In this article, we will brief you about how to convert YouTube to gif, various GIF converters, their uses, and the pros and cons of each converter.

Let’s get started!

How to Convert a YouTube Video into GIFs?

1. YouTube to GIF Directly

Here is a quick way to convert the YouTube video to GIFs without typing a YouTube to GIF website.

Gif.com is a free and easy-to-use video editor available with multiple effects. This converter was created keeping in mind how people spend hours and money on paid platforms.

Follow the below steps to convert a YouTube video into gifs.

1. In the YouTube video page, add gif before youtube.com. For example, I want to convert the YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40fuGLmwHwk to GIFs, here is how it looks like after adding gif at the beginning: https://www.gifyoutube.com/watch?v=40fuGLmwHwk . Press the enter button on your keyboard and you will enter the gifs.com directly.

1. In gifs.com, you can play and pause the YouTube video and drag the bar to select a desired moment for gif. Press the “Create Gif” button on the top right side to convert the specific part of the YouTube video to gif.
2. You will then be directed to the result page to see your GIF created using the YouTube video, and you can change the GIF title and the tag.
3. Lastly, you need to copy the link and share it!

Pros of converting YouTube to GIFs with Gifs.com:

• The interface is easy to use and it provides lots of tools to adjust.
• Simple functionality.

Cons:

• The watermark on your created GIF can be removed only after purchasing the premium version.
• GIFs can be downloaded only by registered users.

2. FreeGifMaker.me

FreeGifMaker is one simple online tool that allows the creation of animated Gifs for free. A minimum of two pictures has to be uploaded out of ten. It takes few seconds and is super easy to make a GIF from a YouTube video. You can use FreeGifMaker.me in some easy steps.

1. Open the website http://freegifmaker.me/youtube-to-gif/ on your desktop.
2. Go to YouTube and copy the video URL you want to create a GIF of and paste it on the website mentioned above.
3. Then click “Load YouTube Video” below the URL and wait for a few seconds while the tool checks the video source.
4. Once the YouTube video is loaded, enter the gif duration, start time, and click on the “Make a GIF button.” It will redirect you to the result page.

• Pros:
• Conversion size is unlimited**.**
• There is no usage of ads.
• Easy to make Gifs.
• Cons:
• The upload speed is slow.
• The converter gives limited options for editing.

3. Wondershare Online UniConverter

Online UniConverter converts video into a high-quality animated GIF and allows editing. It is a simple converter with unique features.

If you want to convert your YouTube video into a GIF, follow the steps.

1. You need to upload your video through the “Choose Files” option. You can also copy the link from YouTube.
2. Wait for some time once you upload the file; you can then set your start time, end time, frame rate according to your needs.
3. Lastly, click on “Create GIF” and download your GIF. You can also save it through the dropdown option available besides “Download.”

• Pros:
• Easy to handle.
• A wide range of customization tools is available.
• Zero ads.
• Cons:
• Upload speed is slow.
• Conversion size is limited.

4. GifRun

It is a video maker that started in 2013, and GifRun converts videos from YouTube, Facebook, and other sources to high-quality GIFs. You can create Gifs free of cost from GifRun.

Here is how you can use Gifrun.

1. Open the website and paste the URL you want to convert into Gif. Later, press “Get Video” option below the URL box.
2. In this step, you can adjust the duration, start time, add text, and also pause and preview the video. Once you’re done altering the video, click “Create GIF.”
3. Lastly, click on the “Download” button beside the add text button, or share the link directly.

• Pros:
• Fast conversion and download.
• There is no upload limit.
• The video preview feature is available.
• Cons:
• UI is ad-infested.
• Supports YouTube videos only.

5. Makeagif

This GIF converter creates high-quality GIFs in no time. You need to paste the URL in Makeagif and nothing much. It can make GIFs from Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms easily.

The only issue is that it supports one type of conversion with a maximum limit of 25MB.

Here is how you can make your favorite GIF in few steps.

1. Open makeagif.com and paste the YouTube URL in the box available.
2. Once you paste the URL, the website will automatically take you to the edit page to edit GIF length, start time, speed, and add caption and stickers. The next step is to select the category to which the video belongs available on the left side of the screen.
3. After editing, click on “Continue to publishing” then “Create GIF” at the lower right corner of the screen. Voila! Your GIF is ready to use.

• Pros:

1. The UI is user-friendly.
2. Ads are minimal
3. Various GIF conversions are supported.

• Cons:

1. The conversion size is small.
2. Batch conversions are not available.

6. ImgFlip

It is a creative GIF website supporting various videos from other websites such as Vimeo and YouTube. ImgFlip has innovative customization tools for cropping, reshaping, adding text and, a lot more, but you just need to be aware of the ads.

Want to know how to create GIF? Go through these simple steps.

1. You can make GIFs both from Video and Images. To make GIF from a video, paste the YouTube URL in the box at the top, upload the tape from your device’s file.
2. After pasting the URL, you will be given lots of customization options. Choose the effect of your choice for your GIF.
3. Lastly, click on “Generate GIF” available on the right side of the screen. You can now share the GIF via your device or download it.

• Pros:
• Plenty of customization options.
• Fast conversion.
• Easy to upload and use.
• Cons:
• Ads pop up frequently.
• Offline conversion is unavailable.

7. GIPHY

It is a free GIF converter that helps you download free YouTube GIFs. You can also make GIFs from your photos, videos available on your device along with video URLs and images. The only problem is, to use Giphy you first have to log in to the app.

Follow the below steps to create a GIF from YouTube videos with Giphy:

1. Open Giphy on your device and click on “Create” on the top right-side of your screen.
2. Paste the URL in the space given below. A pop-up will tell you to log in. Log in to the website to continue.
3. The video you choose should be less than 15 seconds and under 100MB. You will be given editing options from which you can select the start time and duration of your GIF along with Captions and Tags.
4. In the end, press the “Create GIF” button to make the GIF. When it’s done, you will be redirected to the GIF page. You can then share your GIF on any social media site.

• Pros:
• Ads are absent
• Uploading is fast
• Wide range of free GIFs available
• Cons:
• Not perfect for green hands

8. Imgur

It is one of the best apps that offers tons of images, memes, and GIFs. You can make GIFs of less than 60 seconds with high quality, which you can share anywhere.

Here are three easy steps to make GIFs

1. Visit the page “imgur.com/vidgif” and paste your YouTube URL there.
2. Set a start time by clicking or dragging on the timeline. The total runtime is also adjustable, with 60 seconds as the maximum time for GIFs.
3. Lastly, press on “Create GIF” to see the magic. The GIF is converted from the YouTube video.

• Pros:

1. The users can share the post of their choice
2. Users can save posts.
3. Great collection of short GIFs and videos.

• Cons:

1. During loading, the screen flashes.

9 VEED.IO

Veed is a simple YouTube video converter that makes your work super easy. It converts YouTube videos into GIFs with various editing options like crop, trim, text ads, and many more.

Check out how to use VEED in 3 steps.

1. Start by pasting the URL of your YouTube video into VEED, Your video will be ready to convert into GIF.
2. Now you are all set to edit your video. You have the option to crop and trim the video. You can also include different font styles, colors, and sizes of your choice.
3. Lastly, download the GIF you made in VEED.

• Pros:
• Downloading the software is not mandatory.
• UI is simple and easy to navigate.
• The subtitle option is present.
• Cons:
• It takes a lot of time to upload video.
• Many basic tools.

10. Kapwing

Kapwing is a helpful video converter that can easily turn any video into GIFs with a click. It can also convert different files such as 3GP, GIF, WEBM.

To create beautiful GIFs with this video editor, follow these easy steps.

1. Open Kapwing video editor and upload your video from YouTube.
2. Choose the “Export dropdown” option and choose the format you wish to convert.

You can also preview the GIF and customize it as per your choice.

1. In the final step, export the video by clicking the “Export Video” button. Save and download the newly created GIF and share it anywhere with your friends.

• Pros:
• Great editing tools.
• Easy to use.
• Cons:
• Available only on the website.
• Too many tools for the same purpose.

Final Thoughts

With the increased use of GIFs on social media, you can now easily convert your favorite YouTube videos into GIFs on your own. All you have to do is simply choose the tools mentioned above and share it with your friends.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Gear Up Yourself: Selecting Prime Lenses for Successful Vlogging

A Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses

Richard Bennett

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

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

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

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

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

Three Focal Length Groups: Wide, Standard, Telephoto

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

Wide-Angle Lens

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

Standard Lens

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

Telephoto Lens

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

Vlogging With Each Focal Length Group

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

When to vlog with a wide-angle lens

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

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

When to vlog with a standard lens

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

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

When to vlog with a telephoto lens

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

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

Crop Factor

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

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

Focal Length Equivalency Table

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

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