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Fixing Obscured Content on YouTube Platform for 2024
Fixing Obscured Content on YouTube Platform
There might be some instances where when you try to play a clip on one of the most popular streaming video sites, you are displayed with a YouTube black screen. There could be several reasons behind this.
That said, the following sections discuss some of the common causes of YouTube video black screen, and explain how you can fix the issue easily with merely a few simple mouse clicks. Here, you will also learn how to resolve the problem if it occurs on your smartphone.
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Part 1: What Causes a YouTube Black Screen Error?
As mentioned earlier, although there could be any reason for videos black on YouTube, some of the most common ones are listed below:
Obsolete Web Browser
Because the websites and online portals are regularly updated by the developers to keep them secure from intruders and attackers, the web browsers must also be updated accordingly to keep up the pace. If your instance of the web browser is outdated, you may experience a YouTube TV black screen.
Incompatible Browser Extensions
This mostly happens while using Google Chrome. Because Chrome Web Store is populated with a plethora of extensions, it is likely that any of those might become outdated (or get updated), thus becoming incompatible with the current version of the web browser.
Slow Internet Connection
This issue could be from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) side. At your part, the maximum you can do is, try switching to a wired network, or if you are using Wi-Fi, consider taking your PC or laptop closer to the wireless router.
Stale DNS Cache
Every time you visit a website, its DNS (Domain Name System) record is automatically stored in the DNS cache. This helps in the address resolution process (fetching the URL) the next time you open the site. If the DNS information gets stale in the DNS cache, the browser may fail to locate the website, a YouTube video in this case, and you will be displayed with the black screen.
Outdated Display Driver
As it is with Windows itself, even the graphic card driver must be updated regularly to maintain your PC’s health. If an updated version of the display driver is not installed on your Windows computer, you may experience YouTube black screen.
Part 2: How to Fix YouTube Video Black Screen [*Quick Way]
Depending on the root cause of the issue, the solutions to fix the YouTube video black screen issue may differ. Nevertheless, some of the most effective remedies are discussed below in detail:
1. Web Browser Solution(s)
Solution 1: Update Your Web Browser
When you experience YouTube video black screen, try updating your web browser to its latest version. Assuming that you’re using Google Chrome, the update process is given below:
Launch Google Chrome, click the Customize and control Google Chrome icon from the top-right corner, and then select Update Google Chrome from the menu that appears.
Note: If the Update Google Chrome option isn’t available, it simply means that you are already using the latest version of the browser
Solution 2: Restart the Web Browser
If the video isn’t visible even after updating Google Chrome, or if you’re already using the most recent version but the issue is still there, you can close the web browser, and relaunch it to see if that helps.
Solution 3: Use a Different Browser
If Google Chrome itself is the culprit, the video should be visible on a different browser. You may consider using Mozilla Firefox or the Windows’ default app, Microsoft Edge.
Copy the URL of the faulty video from Google Chrome’s address bar, and then launch a different web browser, and paste the copied URL in the new browser’s address bar. Press Enter and see if the video plays correctly.
Solution 4: Clean the Web Browser
Sometimes even the web browser history and caches can also prevent a YouTube video from being displayed. Therefore, it would be a good idea to clear the browser data, and see if it helps. The process is given below:
After launching the web browser (Google Chrome is used here for example), go to the Customize and control Google Chrome menu, and then go to More tools, and then select Clear browsing data.
Switch between the Basic and Advanced tabs on the Clear browsing data box to choose the records that you want to delete, and then choose your preferred duration of the records from the Time range drop-down list.
Click Clear data from the bottom-right corner to clear browsing caches.
Solution 5: Disable/Remove the Extensions
If one or more browser extensions are incompatible, even then you may experience YouTube black screen. In such a case, you can disable those extensions, or permanently remove them to resolve the issue. You can learn the process of doing so by following the instructions that are given below:
Launch Google Chrome and go to the Customize and control Google Chrome menu, go to More tools, then select Extensions from the submenu that appears.
Turn off the switch for each of the installed extensions to check if the issue is fixed.
Note: If this solution works, you can try enabling the extensions one at a time, and check turning on which one causes YouTube video black screen. Once the culprit extension is found, you can click Remove to get rid of it altogether.
Solution 6: Reinstall the Browser
If the video is visible on a different web browser, probably the default one that you are using got corrupted. A quick resolution would be to remove its instance from your PC, and install a fresh copy. To do so:
• Type Control Panel in the Cortana search box, and then click Control Panel from the results list.
• On the Control Panel window, click Uninstall a program from under the Programs
• Click to select the browser from the list of installed apps (Google Chrome here) and select Uninstall from above the list.
• Follow the on-screen instructions from there to remove the web browser from your PC. Next, use Microsoft Edge (or any other browser) to download and install a fresh copy of Google Chrome and see if the issue is fixed
2. ISP or Internet Speed Solution(s)
If you are experiencing a slow Internet connection, the issue might be either from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) side, or on your part. In any case, you can try the following solutions to fix the issue:
Solution 1: Get Your PC/Laptop Closer to the Router
If you are using a Wi-Fi network, consider bringing your device a bit closer to the wireless router and see if the issue is fixed. You may also want to recheck and ensure that there are no highly magnetic devices (a speaker or something similar) placed near the router.
Solution 2: Switch to a Wired Network
If the problem persists, try connecting your laptop/desktop PC to your router with a LAN cable, and then try reopening the YouTube video to see if it plays correctly this time.
PC/Windows Solution(s)
At times, your computer could be the main culprit, and trying some basic troubleshooting steps might resolve the issue. Some of the most effective solutions are listed below:
Solution 1: Clear DNS Cache
Clearing the DNS cache ensures that your PC is now ready to accept and save new DNS records in the cache. The process of clearing the existing cache data is listed below:
Type CMD in the Cortana search box, and click Run as administrator from the right menu of the results list.
Click Yes on the User Account Control confirmation box, and in the Command Prompt window, type IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS and press Enter
Try opening the YouTube video again and see if the issue is fixed
Solution 2: Update the Graphic Card Driver
Anything that you see on your computer screen is because of the graphics card. Since a driver is needed to interact with the device, an old one might prevent the videos from getting displayed. If the graphics card is the culprit, the chances are that you won’t be able to see any video at all, be it from YouTube or offline. Therefore, checking if you are using the latest version of the graphic card driver wouldn’t harm you. The process is given below:
Right-click Start and go to Device Manager from the context menu
Expand the Display adapters tree on the Device Manager snap-in, and right-click the graphics card from the list and select Update driver from the context menu.
Click Search automatically for drivers from the next screen that appears and follow the on-screen instructions from there to update the graphic card driver.
Note: If your PC has multiple graphic cards installed in it, you will have to follow this procedure for each of them individually.
Part 3: How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen on Mobile?
If you wish to watch online videos on your smartphone, but experience YouTube video black screen, the process of fixing the issue on the phones is comparatively simple. The steps that are given below explain the procedure:
How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen on Android
Clear the Cache
Go to Settings and then tap Apps from the Settings Go to YouTube and then scroll down to Storage.
Tap it and then select Clear data and Clear cache. Relaunch YouTube and see if the issue is fixed.
How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen On iOS
Delete and Reinstall the App
Long-tap the YouTube app on your iOS device, and then tap Remove App, and then select Delete App.
Go to App Store and download and install a fresh copy of YouTube, and see if the problem is resolved.
Conclusion
There could be several reasons for YouTube black screen, and depending on the root cause of the issue, the troubleshooting methods may vary. While some inconsistencies can be fixed from within the web browser itself, at times you may need to tweak your operating system to get an accurate solution. Likewise, while using an Android smartphone, you can clear YouTube data and cache; and remove and reinstall the app altogether when on an iOS device.
Wondershare Filmora
Create stunning effects with simple clicks.
Part 1: What Causes a YouTube Black Screen Error?
As mentioned earlier, although there could be any reason for videos black on YouTube, some of the most common ones are listed below:
Obsolete Web Browser
Because the websites and online portals are regularly updated by the developers to keep them secure from intruders and attackers, the web browsers must also be updated accordingly to keep up the pace. If your instance of the web browser is outdated, you may experience a YouTube TV black screen.
Incompatible Browser Extensions
This mostly happens while using Google Chrome. Because Chrome Web Store is populated with a plethora of extensions, it is likely that any of those might become outdated (or get updated), thus becoming incompatible with the current version of the web browser.
Slow Internet Connection
This issue could be from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) side. At your part, the maximum you can do is, try switching to a wired network, or if you are using Wi-Fi, consider taking your PC or laptop closer to the wireless router.
Stale DNS Cache
Every time you visit a website, its DNS (Domain Name System) record is automatically stored in the DNS cache. This helps in the address resolution process (fetching the URL) the next time you open the site. If the DNS information gets stale in the DNS cache, the browser may fail to locate the website, a YouTube video in this case, and you will be displayed with the black screen.
Outdated Display Driver
As it is with Windows itself, even the graphic card driver must be updated regularly to maintain your PC’s health. If an updated version of the display driver is not installed on your Windows computer, you may experience YouTube black screen.
Part 2: How to Fix YouTube Video Black Screen [*Quick Way]
Depending on the root cause of the issue, the solutions to fix the YouTube video black screen issue may differ. Nevertheless, some of the most effective remedies are discussed below in detail:
1. Web Browser Solution(s)
Solution 1: Update Your Web Browser
When you experience YouTube video black screen, try updating your web browser to its latest version. Assuming that you’re using Google Chrome, the update process is given below:
Launch Google Chrome, click the Customize and control Google Chrome icon from the top-right corner, and then select Update Google Chrome from the menu that appears.
Note: If the Update Google Chrome option isn’t available, it simply means that you are already using the latest version of the browser
Solution 2: Restart the Web Browser
If the video isn’t visible even after updating Google Chrome, or if you’re already using the most recent version but the issue is still there, you can close the web browser, and relaunch it to see if that helps.
Solution 3: Use a Different Browser
If Google Chrome itself is the culprit, the video should be visible on a different browser. You may consider using Mozilla Firefox or the Windows’ default app, Microsoft Edge.
Copy the URL of the faulty video from Google Chrome’s address bar, and then launch a different web browser, and paste the copied URL in the new browser’s address bar. Press Enter and see if the video plays correctly.
Solution 4: Clean the Web Browser
Sometimes even the web browser history and caches can also prevent a YouTube video from being displayed. Therefore, it would be a good idea to clear the browser data, and see if it helps. The process is given below:
After launching the web browser (Google Chrome is used here for example), go to the Customize and control Google Chrome menu, and then go to More tools, and then select Clear browsing data.
Switch between the Basic and Advanced tabs on the Clear browsing data box to choose the records that you want to delete, and then choose your preferred duration of the records from the Time range drop-down list.
Click Clear data from the bottom-right corner to clear browsing caches.
Solution 5: Disable/Remove the Extensions
If one or more browser extensions are incompatible, even then you may experience YouTube black screen. In such a case, you can disable those extensions, or permanently remove them to resolve the issue. You can learn the process of doing so by following the instructions that are given below:
Launch Google Chrome and go to the Customize and control Google Chrome menu, go to More tools, then select Extensions from the submenu that appears.
Turn off the switch for each of the installed extensions to check if the issue is fixed.
Note: If this solution works, you can try enabling the extensions one at a time, and check turning on which one causes YouTube video black screen. Once the culprit extension is found, you can click Remove to get rid of it altogether.
Solution 6: Reinstall the Browser
If the video is visible on a different web browser, probably the default one that you are using got corrupted. A quick resolution would be to remove its instance from your PC, and install a fresh copy. To do so:
• Type Control Panel in the Cortana search box, and then click Control Panel from the results list.
• On the Control Panel window, click Uninstall a program from under the Programs
• Click to select the browser from the list of installed apps (Google Chrome here) and select Uninstall from above the list.
• Follow the on-screen instructions from there to remove the web browser from your PC. Next, use Microsoft Edge (or any other browser) to download and install a fresh copy of Google Chrome and see if the issue is fixed
2. ISP or Internet Speed Solution(s)
If you are experiencing a slow Internet connection, the issue might be either from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) side, or on your part. In any case, you can try the following solutions to fix the issue:
Solution 1: Get Your PC/Laptop Closer to the Router
If you are using a Wi-Fi network, consider bringing your device a bit closer to the wireless router and see if the issue is fixed. You may also want to recheck and ensure that there are no highly magnetic devices (a speaker or something similar) placed near the router.
Solution 2: Switch to a Wired Network
If the problem persists, try connecting your laptop/desktop PC to your router with a LAN cable, and then try reopening the YouTube video to see if it plays correctly this time.
PC/Windows Solution(s)
At times, your computer could be the main culprit, and trying some basic troubleshooting steps might resolve the issue. Some of the most effective solutions are listed below:
Solution 1: Clear DNS Cache
Clearing the DNS cache ensures that your PC is now ready to accept and save new DNS records in the cache. The process of clearing the existing cache data is listed below:
Type CMD in the Cortana search box, and click Run as administrator from the right menu of the results list.
Click Yes on the User Account Control confirmation box, and in the Command Prompt window, type IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS and press Enter
Try opening the YouTube video again and see if the issue is fixed
Solution 2: Update the Graphic Card Driver
Anything that you see on your computer screen is because of the graphics card. Since a driver is needed to interact with the device, an old one might prevent the videos from getting displayed. If the graphics card is the culprit, the chances are that you won’t be able to see any video at all, be it from YouTube or offline. Therefore, checking if you are using the latest version of the graphic card driver wouldn’t harm you. The process is given below:
Right-click Start and go to Device Manager from the context menu
Expand the Display adapters tree on the Device Manager snap-in, and right-click the graphics card from the list and select Update driver from the context menu.
Click Search automatically for drivers from the next screen that appears and follow the on-screen instructions from there to update the graphic card driver.
Note: If your PC has multiple graphic cards installed in it, you will have to follow this procedure for each of them individually.
Part 3: How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen on Mobile?
If you wish to watch online videos on your smartphone, but experience YouTube video black screen, the process of fixing the issue on the phones is comparatively simple. The steps that are given below explain the procedure:
How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen on Android
Clear the Cache
Go to Settings and then tap Apps from the Settings Go to YouTube and then scroll down to Storage.
Tap it and then select Clear data and Clear cache. Relaunch YouTube and see if the issue is fixed.
How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen On iOS
Delete and Reinstall the App
Long-tap the YouTube app on your iOS device, and then tap Remove App, and then select Delete App.
Go to App Store and download and install a fresh copy of YouTube, and see if the problem is resolved.
Conclusion
There could be several reasons for YouTube black screen, and depending on the root cause of the issue, the troubleshooting methods may vary. While some inconsistencies can be fixed from within the web browser itself, at times you may need to tweak your operating system to get an accurate solution. Likewise, while using an Android smartphone, you can clear YouTube data and cache; and remove and reinstall the app altogether when on an iOS device.
Wondershare Filmora
Create stunning effects with simple clicks.
Part 1: What Causes a YouTube Black Screen Error?
As mentioned earlier, although there could be any reason for videos black on YouTube, some of the most common ones are listed below:
Obsolete Web Browser
Because the websites and online portals are regularly updated by the developers to keep them secure from intruders and attackers, the web browsers must also be updated accordingly to keep up the pace. If your instance of the web browser is outdated, you may experience a YouTube TV black screen.
Incompatible Browser Extensions
This mostly happens while using Google Chrome. Because Chrome Web Store is populated with a plethora of extensions, it is likely that any of those might become outdated (or get updated), thus becoming incompatible with the current version of the web browser.
Slow Internet Connection
This issue could be from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) side. At your part, the maximum you can do is, try switching to a wired network, or if you are using Wi-Fi, consider taking your PC or laptop closer to the wireless router.
Stale DNS Cache
Every time you visit a website, its DNS (Domain Name System) record is automatically stored in the DNS cache. This helps in the address resolution process (fetching the URL) the next time you open the site. If the DNS information gets stale in the DNS cache, the browser may fail to locate the website, a YouTube video in this case, and you will be displayed with the black screen.
Outdated Display Driver
As it is with Windows itself, even the graphic card driver must be updated regularly to maintain your PC’s health. If an updated version of the display driver is not installed on your Windows computer, you may experience YouTube black screen.
Part 2: How to Fix YouTube Video Black Screen [*Quick Way]
Depending on the root cause of the issue, the solutions to fix the YouTube video black screen issue may differ. Nevertheless, some of the most effective remedies are discussed below in detail:
1. Web Browser Solution(s)
Solution 1: Update Your Web Browser
When you experience YouTube video black screen, try updating your web browser to its latest version. Assuming that you’re using Google Chrome, the update process is given below:
Launch Google Chrome, click the Customize and control Google Chrome icon from the top-right corner, and then select Update Google Chrome from the menu that appears.
Note: If the Update Google Chrome option isn’t available, it simply means that you are already using the latest version of the browser
Solution 2: Restart the Web Browser
If the video isn’t visible even after updating Google Chrome, or if you’re already using the most recent version but the issue is still there, you can close the web browser, and relaunch it to see if that helps.
Solution 3: Use a Different Browser
If Google Chrome itself is the culprit, the video should be visible on a different browser. You may consider using Mozilla Firefox or the Windows’ default app, Microsoft Edge.
Copy the URL of the faulty video from Google Chrome’s address bar, and then launch a different web browser, and paste the copied URL in the new browser’s address bar. Press Enter and see if the video plays correctly.
Solution 4: Clean the Web Browser
Sometimes even the web browser history and caches can also prevent a YouTube video from being displayed. Therefore, it would be a good idea to clear the browser data, and see if it helps. The process is given below:
After launching the web browser (Google Chrome is used here for example), go to the Customize and control Google Chrome menu, and then go to More tools, and then select Clear browsing data.
Switch between the Basic and Advanced tabs on the Clear browsing data box to choose the records that you want to delete, and then choose your preferred duration of the records from the Time range drop-down list.
Click Clear data from the bottom-right corner to clear browsing caches.
Solution 5: Disable/Remove the Extensions
If one or more browser extensions are incompatible, even then you may experience YouTube black screen. In such a case, you can disable those extensions, or permanently remove them to resolve the issue. You can learn the process of doing so by following the instructions that are given below:
Launch Google Chrome and go to the Customize and control Google Chrome menu, go to More tools, then select Extensions from the submenu that appears.
Turn off the switch for each of the installed extensions to check if the issue is fixed.
Note: If this solution works, you can try enabling the extensions one at a time, and check turning on which one causes YouTube video black screen. Once the culprit extension is found, you can click Remove to get rid of it altogether.
Solution 6: Reinstall the Browser
If the video is visible on a different web browser, probably the default one that you are using got corrupted. A quick resolution would be to remove its instance from your PC, and install a fresh copy. To do so:
• Type Control Panel in the Cortana search box, and then click Control Panel from the results list.
• On the Control Panel window, click Uninstall a program from under the Programs
• Click to select the browser from the list of installed apps (Google Chrome here) and select Uninstall from above the list.
• Follow the on-screen instructions from there to remove the web browser from your PC. Next, use Microsoft Edge (or any other browser) to download and install a fresh copy of Google Chrome and see if the issue is fixed
2. ISP or Internet Speed Solution(s)
If you are experiencing a slow Internet connection, the issue might be either from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) side, or on your part. In any case, you can try the following solutions to fix the issue:
Solution 1: Get Your PC/Laptop Closer to the Router
If you are using a Wi-Fi network, consider bringing your device a bit closer to the wireless router and see if the issue is fixed. You may also want to recheck and ensure that there are no highly magnetic devices (a speaker or something similar) placed near the router.
Solution 2: Switch to a Wired Network
If the problem persists, try connecting your laptop/desktop PC to your router with a LAN cable, and then try reopening the YouTube video to see if it plays correctly this time.
PC/Windows Solution(s)
At times, your computer could be the main culprit, and trying some basic troubleshooting steps might resolve the issue. Some of the most effective solutions are listed below:
Solution 1: Clear DNS Cache
Clearing the DNS cache ensures that your PC is now ready to accept and save new DNS records in the cache. The process of clearing the existing cache data is listed below:
Type CMD in the Cortana search box, and click Run as administrator from the right menu of the results list.
Click Yes on the User Account Control confirmation box, and in the Command Prompt window, type IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS and press Enter
Try opening the YouTube video again and see if the issue is fixed
Solution 2: Update the Graphic Card Driver
Anything that you see on your computer screen is because of the graphics card. Since a driver is needed to interact with the device, an old one might prevent the videos from getting displayed. If the graphics card is the culprit, the chances are that you won’t be able to see any video at all, be it from YouTube or offline. Therefore, checking if you are using the latest version of the graphic card driver wouldn’t harm you. The process is given below:
Right-click Start and go to Device Manager from the context menu
Expand the Display adapters tree on the Device Manager snap-in, and right-click the graphics card from the list and select Update driver from the context menu.
Click Search automatically for drivers from the next screen that appears and follow the on-screen instructions from there to update the graphic card driver.
Note: If your PC has multiple graphic cards installed in it, you will have to follow this procedure for each of them individually.
Part 3: How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen on Mobile?
If you wish to watch online videos on your smartphone, but experience YouTube video black screen, the process of fixing the issue on the phones is comparatively simple. The steps that are given below explain the procedure:
How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen on Android
Clear the Cache
Go to Settings and then tap Apps from the Settings Go to YouTube and then scroll down to Storage.
Tap it and then select Clear data and Clear cache. Relaunch YouTube and see if the issue is fixed.
How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen On iOS
Delete and Reinstall the App
Long-tap the YouTube app on your iOS device, and then tap Remove App, and then select Delete App.
Go to App Store and download and install a fresh copy of YouTube, and see if the problem is resolved.
Conclusion
There could be several reasons for YouTube black screen, and depending on the root cause of the issue, the troubleshooting methods may vary. While some inconsistencies can be fixed from within the web browser itself, at times you may need to tweak your operating system to get an accurate solution. Likewise, while using an Android smartphone, you can clear YouTube data and cache; and remove and reinstall the app altogether when on an iOS device.
Wondershare Filmora
Create stunning effects with simple clicks.
Part 1: What Causes a YouTube Black Screen Error?
As mentioned earlier, although there could be any reason for videos black on YouTube, some of the most common ones are listed below:
Obsolete Web Browser
Because the websites and online portals are regularly updated by the developers to keep them secure from intruders and attackers, the web browsers must also be updated accordingly to keep up the pace. If your instance of the web browser is outdated, you may experience a YouTube TV black screen.
Incompatible Browser Extensions
This mostly happens while using Google Chrome. Because Chrome Web Store is populated with a plethora of extensions, it is likely that any of those might become outdated (or get updated), thus becoming incompatible with the current version of the web browser.
Slow Internet Connection
This issue could be from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) side. At your part, the maximum you can do is, try switching to a wired network, or if you are using Wi-Fi, consider taking your PC or laptop closer to the wireless router.
Stale DNS Cache
Every time you visit a website, its DNS (Domain Name System) record is automatically stored in the DNS cache. This helps in the address resolution process (fetching the URL) the next time you open the site. If the DNS information gets stale in the DNS cache, the browser may fail to locate the website, a YouTube video in this case, and you will be displayed with the black screen.
Outdated Display Driver
As it is with Windows itself, even the graphic card driver must be updated regularly to maintain your PC’s health. If an updated version of the display driver is not installed on your Windows computer, you may experience YouTube black screen.
Part 2: How to Fix YouTube Video Black Screen [*Quick Way]
Depending on the root cause of the issue, the solutions to fix the YouTube video black screen issue may differ. Nevertheless, some of the most effective remedies are discussed below in detail:
1. Web Browser Solution(s)
Solution 1: Update Your Web Browser
When you experience YouTube video black screen, try updating your web browser to its latest version. Assuming that you’re using Google Chrome, the update process is given below:
Launch Google Chrome, click the Customize and control Google Chrome icon from the top-right corner, and then select Update Google Chrome from the menu that appears.
Note: If the Update Google Chrome option isn’t available, it simply means that you are already using the latest version of the browser
Solution 2: Restart the Web Browser
If the video isn’t visible even after updating Google Chrome, or if you’re already using the most recent version but the issue is still there, you can close the web browser, and relaunch it to see if that helps.
Solution 3: Use a Different Browser
If Google Chrome itself is the culprit, the video should be visible on a different browser. You may consider using Mozilla Firefox or the Windows’ default app, Microsoft Edge.
Copy the URL of the faulty video from Google Chrome’s address bar, and then launch a different web browser, and paste the copied URL in the new browser’s address bar. Press Enter and see if the video plays correctly.
Solution 4: Clean the Web Browser
Sometimes even the web browser history and caches can also prevent a YouTube video from being displayed. Therefore, it would be a good idea to clear the browser data, and see if it helps. The process is given below:
After launching the web browser (Google Chrome is used here for example), go to the Customize and control Google Chrome menu, and then go to More tools, and then select Clear browsing data.
Switch between the Basic and Advanced tabs on the Clear browsing data box to choose the records that you want to delete, and then choose your preferred duration of the records from the Time range drop-down list.
Click Clear data from the bottom-right corner to clear browsing caches.
Solution 5: Disable/Remove the Extensions
If one or more browser extensions are incompatible, even then you may experience YouTube black screen. In such a case, you can disable those extensions, or permanently remove them to resolve the issue. You can learn the process of doing so by following the instructions that are given below:
Launch Google Chrome and go to the Customize and control Google Chrome menu, go to More tools, then select Extensions from the submenu that appears.
Turn off the switch for each of the installed extensions to check if the issue is fixed.
Note: If this solution works, you can try enabling the extensions one at a time, and check turning on which one causes YouTube video black screen. Once the culprit extension is found, you can click Remove to get rid of it altogether.
Solution 6: Reinstall the Browser
If the video is visible on a different web browser, probably the default one that you are using got corrupted. A quick resolution would be to remove its instance from your PC, and install a fresh copy. To do so:
• Type Control Panel in the Cortana search box, and then click Control Panel from the results list.
• On the Control Panel window, click Uninstall a program from under the Programs
• Click to select the browser from the list of installed apps (Google Chrome here) and select Uninstall from above the list.
• Follow the on-screen instructions from there to remove the web browser from your PC. Next, use Microsoft Edge (or any other browser) to download and install a fresh copy of Google Chrome and see if the issue is fixed
2. ISP or Internet Speed Solution(s)
If you are experiencing a slow Internet connection, the issue might be either from your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) side, or on your part. In any case, you can try the following solutions to fix the issue:
Solution 1: Get Your PC/Laptop Closer to the Router
If you are using a Wi-Fi network, consider bringing your device a bit closer to the wireless router and see if the issue is fixed. You may also want to recheck and ensure that there are no highly magnetic devices (a speaker or something similar) placed near the router.
Solution 2: Switch to a Wired Network
If the problem persists, try connecting your laptop/desktop PC to your router with a LAN cable, and then try reopening the YouTube video to see if it plays correctly this time.
PC/Windows Solution(s)
At times, your computer could be the main culprit, and trying some basic troubleshooting steps might resolve the issue. Some of the most effective solutions are listed below:
Solution 1: Clear DNS Cache
Clearing the DNS cache ensures that your PC is now ready to accept and save new DNS records in the cache. The process of clearing the existing cache data is listed below:
Type CMD in the Cortana search box, and click Run as administrator from the right menu of the results list.
Click Yes on the User Account Control confirmation box, and in the Command Prompt window, type IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS and press Enter
Try opening the YouTube video again and see if the issue is fixed
Solution 2: Update the Graphic Card Driver
Anything that you see on your computer screen is because of the graphics card. Since a driver is needed to interact with the device, an old one might prevent the videos from getting displayed. If the graphics card is the culprit, the chances are that you won’t be able to see any video at all, be it from YouTube or offline. Therefore, checking if you are using the latest version of the graphic card driver wouldn’t harm you. The process is given below:
Right-click Start and go to Device Manager from the context menu
Expand the Display adapters tree on the Device Manager snap-in, and right-click the graphics card from the list and select Update driver from the context menu.
Click Search automatically for drivers from the next screen that appears and follow the on-screen instructions from there to update the graphic card driver.
Note: If your PC has multiple graphic cards installed in it, you will have to follow this procedure for each of them individually.
Part 3: How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen on Mobile?
If you wish to watch online videos on your smartphone, but experience YouTube video black screen, the process of fixing the issue on the phones is comparatively simple. The steps that are given below explain the procedure:
How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen on Android
Clear the Cache
Go to Settings and then tap Apps from the Settings Go to YouTube and then scroll down to Storage.
Tap it and then select Clear data and Clear cache. Relaunch YouTube and see if the issue is fixed.
How to Troubleshoot YouTube Black Screen On iOS
Delete and Reinstall the App
Long-tap the YouTube app on your iOS device, and then tap Remove App, and then select Delete App.
Go to App Store and download and install a fresh copy of YouTube, and see if the problem is resolved.
Conclusion
There could be several reasons for YouTube black screen, and depending on the root cause of the issue, the troubleshooting methods may vary. While some inconsistencies can be fixed from within the web browser itself, at times you may need to tweak your operating system to get an accurate solution. Likewise, while using an Android smartphone, you can clear YouTube data and cache; and remove and reinstall the app altogether when on an iOS device.
Filmmaker’s Choice: Selecting Perfect Lenses for YouTube Creation
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
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
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
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
- Title: Fixing Obscured Content on YouTube Platform for 2024
- Author: Thomas
- Created at : 2024-05-31 12:45:45
- Updated at : 2024-06-01 12:45:45
- Link: https://youtube-help.techidaily.com/fixing-obscured-content-on-youtube-platform-for-2024/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
