How to Correct Lens Distortion With Filmora

The distortion in your video may irritate you when you’re working on the video’s edit. When you take images or record sound, you frequently end up with distorted results due to lens distortion. In this article, we will discuss what lens distortion is, how it may be fixed, and the factors you need to pay attention to avoid lens distortion when taking or recording videos.

Part 1: Basic introduction to lens distortion

1. What is lens distortion

Distortion means that the straight rectilinear projection is not straight. In the pinhole camera model, lens distortion is measured by how far from the image’s ideal projection is. From a geometric optics point of view, the scene’s straight lines don’t look straight in the image.

When you take a picture, the camera lens can somehow change the shape of the image. It is called camera lens distortion. In simple terms, we can tell you that this is the case because distortion in-camera is when the lens makes curved lines in an image and doesn’t show the straight lines from the scene.

2. What cause it

Lens distortion happens with all lenses. It is because of several things, such as how the lens is curved, how far away the subject is, and the angle at which the photo was taken. Furthermore, it changes the image in many ways, but you can see it most when straight lines at the frame’s edges are no longer parallel.

Most geometric lens distortions happen when the focal distance is short (barrel distortion), long (pincushion distortion), or when a fish-eye lens is used to take a picture from a low angle (keystone distortion).

Part 2: How to correct a distorted lens?

A lot of times, with lower-end wide-angle lenses, especially action cams like GoPro, you get pretty gnarly distortion when you’re filming. As we know, the Earth is round, but it shouldn’t look like this when you take a picture. Indeed, it’s very distorted, it has the horizon line bending all over the place, and basically, all of the lines in the video have some level of curvature.

Hence, follow all the steps below to know how to fix it:

Step1 Import your video to Filmora .

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step2 Click on the clip and head over to the lens correction. Choose the “Camera model” based on what you used, but in this tutorial, the video was taken with a GoPro Hero 7. However, you can choose some other camera model options there.

Step3 To adjust the distortion, you can slide the bar to the left or the right. If you slide the bar to the right (maximum level), there will be no adjustment. However, if you slide the bar to the left, you can see it pulling those lines as high up as possible.

You can see a bit of curvature, but it looks much more natural, and all of the lines in the video look so much better.

Step4 Lastly, if you play the video back, you will see the video look much better than before.

Part 3: How to avoid distorted lens while shooting?

1. Avoid very wide-angle lenses

The more distortion there is in a lens, like a 15mm prime, the wider it is. Sometimes you need a very wide-angle lens, and distortion is unavoidable. If you have room to move back, you could try using a lens with a different focal length.

2. Avoid getting too close

Doing so will enhance optical distortion in many lenses and the likelihood of perspective distortion in all lenses.

3. Be mindful of your composition

There are numerous instances where distortion is acceptable or even intended. Others must be carefully examined, such as utilizing a wide-angle lens to photograph a row of people. When you get too close to a group, the distortion makes the people at each end appear considerably wider! Therefore, consider your composition. Stand back and add space around your group; if necessary, you can trim the image afterward.

4. Use a 50mm lens

50mm lenses are often called “all-purpose” lenses. There is a good reason

for this. A 50mm lens is great for portraits, street photography, and many other kinds of photography, including architecture. If your subject is big, you just need space to stand back. You will see that a 50mm lens rarely distorts the image.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step2 Click on the clip and head over to the lens correction. Choose the “Camera model” based on what you used, but in this tutorial, the video was taken with a GoPro Hero 7. However, you can choose some other camera model options there.

Step3 To adjust the distortion, you can slide the bar to the left or the right. If you slide the bar to the right (maximum level), there will be no adjustment. However, if you slide the bar to the left, you can see it pulling those lines as high up as possible.

You can see a bit of curvature, but it looks much more natural, and all of the lines in the video look so much better.

Step4 Lastly, if you play the video back, you will see the video look much better than before.

Part 3: How to avoid distorted lens while shooting?

1. Avoid very wide-angle lenses

The more distortion there is in a lens, like a 15mm prime, the wider it is. Sometimes you need a very wide-angle lens, and distortion is unavoidable. If you have room to move back, you could try using a lens with a different focal length.

2. Avoid getting too close

Doing so will enhance optical distortion in many lenses and the likelihood of perspective distortion in all lenses.

3. Be mindful of your composition

There are numerous instances where distortion is acceptable or even intended. Others must be carefully examined, such as utilizing a wide-angle lens to photograph a row of people. When you get too close to a group, the distortion makes the people at each end appear considerably wider! Therefore, consider your composition. Stand back and add space around your group; if necessary, you can trim the image afterward.

4. Use a 50mm lens

50mm lenses are often called “all-purpose” lenses. There is a good reason

for this. A 50mm lens is great for portraits, street photography, and many other kinds of photography, including architecture. If your subject is big, you just need space to stand back. You will see that a 50mm lens rarely distorts the image.

How to Add Filters on iMovie

There are times when you record a video and find out that the light and color in the video have been up to the mark. The light could be too bright or too dark while there could be some color overlays in certain portion as well as the entire frame of the video. Thanks to the video editing apps, you can correct any lighting and coloration issues with different filters available to apply to your video.

If you are using iPhone or Mac, you can use Apple’s iMovie app easily. Therefore, you should know how to add filters on iMovie to get the desired output. iMovie app is available for both iPhone and iPad users as well as Mac users. You do not need prior experience in video editing to add filter to your videos to enhance and improve them. We will illustrate the steps on how to add filters in iMovie as well as suggest a better iMovie alternative.

Part 1. How to add filters on iMovie iPhone

If you have an iPhone, you are more likely to record a video with your iPhone. This is because the camera quality of iPhones is extremely good and there are various modes available for capturing different types of videos like slow-motion and time-lapse. Once you capture a video with your iPhone, you can edit the video and add filters to enhance the video quality using iMovie app available for iPhone.

You have to install iMovie app from App Store as it does not come pre-install. If you already have it installed, make sure you update it to the latest version to get all the filters. Here are the steps how to put a filter on a video in iMovie app.

Step1 Open iMovie app on your iPhone. Tap on Create Project option and tap on Movie on the next screen.

Step2 Select the video from your iPhone that you want to edit and add filters. After your selection, tap on Create Movie option located at the bottom.

Step3 Your selected video will now be available on the Timeline where you can edit your video. Tap on Filters icon located at the bottom-right corner.

Step4 You will see all the different filters available on iMovie app. You can also find a slider above each selected filter. You can adjust the filter to increase or decrease the filter intensity.

Step5 Tap on Play icon to check how the filter is looking on your video. Once you are satisfied, tap on Done option located at the top-left corner.

Step6 Tap on Share icon at the bottom and then tap on Save Video option to save the modified video on your iPhone.

Part 2. How to add filters on Mac iMovie

If you are someone who regularly makes videos for social media account or video streaming channel, you are more likely to record your video using a video camera and transfer the recorded video to you Mac for editing purposes. iMovie comes pre-installed on Mac, and therefore, once you have transferred the video, you can get started with editing and adding filters immediately. Here are the steps on how to add filters to iMovie on your Mac.

Step1 Launch iMovie from Applications folder. Click on Create New option to start a new Project.

Step2 Drag and drop the target video from Photos app to Desktop. Thereafter, drag and drop the video file from Desktop to the Timeline of iMovie project.

Step3 Click on the video clip on the Timeline and click on Crop Filter and Audio Effects icon above the Viewer.

Step4 Click on Clip Filter option and you will see different filters in a window to the left. Place the mouse pointer over the filters, and you will see the filter in the Viewer.

Step5 Once you are satisfied with a filter, click on that filter to apply it to the video clip.

Part 3. iMovie Alternative to add filters on Computer

There are several reasons iMovie filters may not always serve your purpose. For example, there is no way on how to add face filters on iMovie. The collection of filters is rather limited. If you are not satisfied with the filters available on iMovie, there are several iMovie alternatives available. We recommend Wondershare Filmora due to its vast collection of filters of all categories to enhance your video to the next level. Here are steps on how to add filters to your video using Filmora on your computer.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step1 Download and install Wondershare Filmora and it is available for Mac as well as Windows users. Open Filmora and click New Project.

Step2 Drag and drop video clips under Project Media folder. Thereafter, drag and drop video clips to Timeline.

Step3 Go to Effects from the top panel and click on Filters from the left panel. You will see all the different categories of filters.

Step4 Select any filter and drag and drop it on Timeline. You can stretch the duration of the filter as per your requirements.

You can also check Overlay> Utility option from the left panel to add face filters to your video in the same manner. If you want to save the modified video, click on Export button.

Conclusion

If you are an iPhone user or a Mac user, you can add filters to your video using iMovie app. You have to install iMovie app on your iPhone, but iMovie comes pre-installed on Mac. But there are limited filters available on iMovie and there is a lack of face filters which are trending in today’s viral videos. That is why we recommend Wondershare Filmora where there is a wide range of filters available to apply to your video conveniently as per your requirements.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step1 Download and install Wondershare Filmora and it is available for Mac as well as Windows users. Open Filmora and click New Project.

Step2 Drag and drop video clips under Project Media folder. Thereafter, drag and drop video clips to Timeline.

Step3 Go to Effects from the top panel and click on Filters from the left panel. You will see all the different categories of filters.

Step4 Select any filter and drag and drop it on Timeline. You can stretch the duration of the filter as per your requirements.

You can also check Overlay> Utility option from the left panel to add face filters to your video in the same manner. If you want to save the modified video, click on Export button.

Conclusion

If you are an iPhone user or a Mac user, you can add filters to your video using iMovie app. You have to install iMovie app on your iPhone, but iMovie comes pre-installed on Mac. But there are limited filters available on iMovie and there is a lack of face filters which are trending in today’s viral videos. That is why we recommend Wondershare Filmora where there is a wide range of filters available to apply to your video conveniently as per your requirements.

Change Video Speed with FFmpeg

Have you ever wanted to speed up or slow down a video? Maybe it was too long, or you wanted to draw out an exciting part of the video without having to watch the boring parts.

In this article, we will be showing you how to use FFmpeg to speed up and slow down your videos using CLI. You’ll also find some other useful FFmpeg commands that you can use on your videos.

Finally, we will explain how to automate these commands so that you can run them on all your videos with ease.

Part 1. What is FFmpeg?

FFmpeg is a free and open-source cross-platform software project that can record, convert, and stream audio and video. It was developed by Fabrice Bellard in 2000. It has since become one of the most popular tools for transcoding media content on Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, Windows NT, and more.

One of its lesser-known capabilities is to speed up or slow down videos in just about any design you can think of — with either the audio or the video synced to the other if desired.

Uses of FFmpeg

FFMPEG is a command-line tool that can manipulate and transcode video files. Its uses are as follows:

• FFmpeg can create, trim, join or separate video clips on the fly and encode them into formats including MPEG, VOB, M2TS, TS, RMVB, or AVI.
• It can be used for Video processing, Video packaging support, Video compression, Audio, and Video container support, FFplay, and FFprobe.
• It also has extensive options for altering the look of an image in just about any way imaginable. Whether you want to change the brightness, hue, saturation, or perform multiple operations like subsampling (resizing) without reducing quality—the list goes on!

You could think of it as the Swiss army knife for video manipulation tasks. The interface might seem intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, all commands are broken down into simple English phrases.

The most important thing to know before getting started with this is how to use FFmpeg’s -i and -v flags for input and output, respectively. To apply effects like slow motion playback or fast motion playback, use these flags in tandem with one another when specifying which file should be edited.

Benefits and Disadvantages of FFmpeg

FFmpeg has many benefits over other video editing software because it is free and open source, meaning that you have access to the code so that you can modify it if needed. Thus, it’s a better option when compared to other video editing software such as Avidemux, QuickTime Pro 7, and Adobe Premiere Elements 12. Some of these benefits include:

• Being able to edit videos on multiple platforms (Windows, Mac OS X);
• FFmpeg has features to speed up and slow down video;
• Being able to convert from one format into another seamlessly;
• An extensive amount of features are at your disposal.

Some of the drawbacks are that some settings are not configurable, like with YouTube’s built-in editor. The main disadvantage, though, would be the lengthiness of the program’s installation process: not only do you need to download FFmpeg itself but also three external libraries like libx264, libmp3lame, and libfaac; then you must compile all six packages before the installation completes. Luckily this process doesn’t take very long.

Another possible disadvantage is the time required for downloading the various resources since they may not be readily available on standard file hosting sites such as Mediafire or Dropbox (though they can be found through third-party websites). If you’re looking for something more robust than Windows Movie Maker or iMovie, we recommend checking out FFmpeg.

Part 2. How to Speed Up a Video in FFmpeg?

FFmpeg can be used to speed up videos. It’s not the only option, but it’s one of the most common ways to make your videos faster. If you want your video to be faster, then FFmpeg is the right tool for the job. Some speed-up features include: FFmpeg speed up video and audio, ffmpeg speed up video mp4, ffmpeg change video speed, and so on.

The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to speed up a video in FFmpeg

The presentation timestamp (PTS) of each video frame can be modified to alter the pace of a video stream.

Step1 Open a terminal and type in FFmpeg. This will open the program.

Step2 Drag and drop the video file onto the window.

Step3 This is accomplished with the command -filter:v “setpts=.”

Step4 According to the documentation, fast motion requires: -filter:v setpts=0.5*PTS.

Step5 Click Enter.

Step6 The result would be a sped-up version of your video.

Part 3. An Alternative to FFmpeg: Wondershare Filmora

FFmpeg is the best video editor in this e-market, and it’s totally free! The only problem with this software, however, is that it isn’t very easy to use for some newbies. If you’re looking for an alternative to FFmpeg but want one with amazing editing capabilities, Wondershare Filmora should be on top of your list! Here are some key features that make Filmora stand out among other video editors.

Wondershare Filmora has all the features you need in a video editor and is also easy enough for beginners to use. It is also compatible with Windows and Mac OS, which means there are no issues with compatibility.

One of the best features of this software, compared to FFmpeg, is its simplicity. With just a few clicks and by following the on-screen instructions, it can be used to create videos that are visually appealing and fun.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

The supported formats of Filmora are Video formats (AVI, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MKV, WMV), Video codecs (AVC1, MPEG-4 AVC, VC1/WMV3), Audio formats (AC3/DTS), Picture formats (JPG/JPEG). Supports up to 4K resolution.

Filmora also offers extensive editing features, including:

• Speed Ramping: To produce distinctive dramatic effects, change the speed of your film while having more control over your keyframes.
• Preset Templates: Making a creative film is straightforward using the built-in Filmora Preset template
• Mask and Blend: The masking and blending features in Filmora are user-friendly and packed with valuable capabilities.
• AI Portrait: Easily identify people in your film and increase the fun factor when editing it.

Major approaches to speed up a video in Filmora

As we know that Filmora has the option to change the speed of a video, so let’s find out step-by-step how to do that; you can also watch this Tutorial on Youtube :

Method 1: Use the ‘Fast’ or ‘Slow’ option to change the speed

Just as simple as the heading is, this option is pretty straightforward, but you cannot decide how much speed you want to add to your video or how slow you want it to be.

Method 2: Changing Uniform Speed in Wondershare Filmora

You need to check your video’s FPS and import your clip first.

Pick your preferred video. Go to the menu and select “Download.” After hitting the “Plus” button, you may maintain the video’s quality by choosing “Match to Media.”

After the movie has loaded, you have two options: double-clicking the clip or selecting the speed option provided below the screen.

A window appears when we double-click the chosen video. We shall navigate to the “SPEED” section beneath this window. Additional “Uniform Speed” and “Speed Ramping” panels may be found on this speed panel. We shall operate within the uniform speed panel to alter the video’s tempo consistently. A slider is provided for us to adjust the movie’s pacing.

The general speed of the film is continually increased or decreased when we choose the option for constant pace. If we choose the speed option on the screen, it gives us a built-in range of numbers that we can use to change the video’s pace in addition to presets like rapid and regular slow.

Once we click “OK,” the video’s tempo adjusts automatically.

Method 3: Adjusting the Fast/Slow motion to fit your movie using the Speed Ramping option

To set up the speed ramping feature for your video, double-clicking the video will give us access to the “SPEED RAMPING” option in the speed panel. When we select the speed ramping option, we see a range of graphs. Each graph shows a number of tempo variations that we may use in our movie.

For Instance, when we select the “MONTAGE” preset, the video’s tempo changes based on how many keyframes we choose and at what rate. As previously stated, as the graph rises above one and falls below one, the movie’s tempo will slow down, increasing its regular speed.

Moving these keyframes higher will make the video go more quickly, while moving them downward will make the movie move more slowly. We may also add more keyframes by using the add button up top, as seen in the image. When satisfied with our results, we will produce the video after pressing the “OK” button.

Watch this video and know more about speed ramping.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the first thing you can do to speed up your video is to use FFmpeg. The FFmpeg project is a community-driven, non-profit collaborative project to develop and maintain an open-source code library for handling multimedia files, including video. It has many features including ffmpeg speed-up video, ffmpeg slow-down video, etc. FFmpeg is free software and supports many platforms, including Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android.

Filmora is another great alternative that allows users to speed up their videos much more easily than using FFmpeg alone. Moreover, it has built-in tools that allow users to automatically detect if there are any issues with their videos. Filmora also offers a wide range of features that you may not find in FFmpeg.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

The supported formats of Filmora are Video formats (AVI, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MKV, WMV), Video codecs (AVC1, MPEG-4 AVC, VC1/WMV3), Audio formats (AC3/DTS), Picture formats (JPG/JPEG). Supports up to 4K resolution.

Filmora also offers extensive editing features, including:

• Speed Ramping: To produce distinctive dramatic effects, change the speed of your film while having more control over your keyframes.
• Preset Templates: Making a creative film is straightforward using the built-in Filmora Preset template
• Mask and Blend: The masking and blending features in Filmora are user-friendly and packed with valuable capabilities.
• AI Portrait: Easily identify people in your film and increase the fun factor when editing it.

Major approaches to speed up a video in Filmora

As we know that Filmora has the option to change the speed of a video, so let’s find out step-by-step how to do that; you can also watch this Tutorial on Youtube :

Method 1: Use the ‘Fast’ or ‘Slow’ option to change the speed

Just as simple as the heading is, this option is pretty straightforward, but you cannot decide how much speed you want to add to your video or how slow you want it to be.

Method 2: Changing Uniform Speed in Wondershare Filmora

You need to check your video’s FPS and import your clip first.

Pick your preferred video. Go to the menu and select “Download.” After hitting the “Plus” button, you may maintain the video’s quality by choosing “Match to Media.”

After the movie has loaded, you have two options: double-clicking the clip or selecting the speed option provided below the screen.

A window appears when we double-click the chosen video. We shall navigate to the “SPEED” section beneath this window. Additional “Uniform Speed” and “Speed Ramping” panels may be found on this speed panel. We shall operate within the uniform speed panel to alter the video’s tempo consistently. A slider is provided for us to adjust the movie’s pacing.

The general speed of the film is continually increased or decreased when we choose the option for constant pace. If we choose the speed option on the screen, it gives us a built-in range of numbers that we can use to change the video’s pace in addition to presets like rapid and regular slow.

Once we click “OK,” the video’s tempo adjusts automatically.

Method 3: Adjusting the Fast/Slow motion to fit your movie using the Speed Ramping option

To set up the speed ramping feature for your video, double-clicking the video will give us access to the “SPEED RAMPING” option in the speed panel. When we select the speed ramping option, we see a range of graphs. Each graph shows a number of tempo variations that we may use in our movie.

For Instance, when we select the “MONTAGE” preset, the video’s tempo changes based on how many keyframes we choose and at what rate. As previously stated, as the graph rises above one and falls below one, the movie’s tempo will slow down, increasing its regular speed.

Moving these keyframes higher will make the video go more quickly, while moving them downward will make the movie move more slowly. We may also add more keyframes by using the add button up top, as seen in the image. When satisfied with our results, we will produce the video after pressing the “OK” button.

Watch this video and know more about speed ramping.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the first thing you can do to speed up your video is to use FFmpeg. The FFmpeg project is a community-driven, non-profit collaborative project to develop and maintain an open-source code library for handling multimedia files, including video. It has many features including ffmpeg speed-up video, ffmpeg slow-down video, etc. FFmpeg is free software and supports many platforms, including Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android.

Filmora is another great alternative that allows users to speed up their videos much more easily than using FFmpeg alone. Moreover, it has built-in tools that allow users to automatically detect if there are any issues with their videos. Filmora also offers a wide range of features that you may not find in FFmpeg.

Merging Videos Like a Pro: A Step-by-Step Guide to Use FFmpeg

Video editing is a crucial aspect of creating content for many people. Whether you’re a YouTuber, a marketer, or just someone who wants to share videos with friends and family, being able to edit and manipulate your videos is key. One of the most basic video editing tasks is concatenating videos, which combines multiple files to create one cohesive video.

FFmpeg is a powerful tool that allows you to do just that, and in this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of FFmpeg concatenate videos. Whether a beginner or an experienced video editor, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to seamlessly merge your videos. From installation to execution, we’ll cover it all so you can streamline your video editing process.

Overview and Installation of FFmpeg

FFmpeg is free, open-source project that allows you to record, convert, and stream digital audio and video. It is a command-line tool widely used in video editing and transcoding. FFmpeg can be used to concatenate videos and other tasks, such as adding subtitles, changing video resolution, and more. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, making it a versatile and accessible tool for anyone to use.

Here’s how to install FFmpeg:

Step1 Log in to your Ubuntu server via SSH and update the package index.

$ sudo apt update

Step2 Install FFmpeg and all the required dependencies

$ sudo apt install ffmpeg

Step3 Verify the version of FFmpeg that you’ve installed.

$ ffmpeg -version

Prerequisite

Before we merge videos using FFmpeg, we must understand the various methods available to us. FFmpeg offers three ways to concatenate videos: a demuxer, a filter, or a protocol. However, each method has its own set of considerations, and the best method for you will depend on the properties of the videos you’re working with.

It’s crucial to ensure that all encoding-related properties align with your chosen method. This includes the timebase, height and width, codecs, and pixel format. Some methods require the videos you’re merging to have the same encoding, while others allow for different encodings. It’s essential to keep this in mind to ensure that the final video is seamless without any breaks. Remember that these prerequisites will help you have a smooth process.

Concatenate Videos With Same Codecs Using FFmpeg

If the videos you want to concatenate have the same codec, you can use the FFmpeg “concat” demuxer or protocol to join them together. This simple and efficient method doesn’t require re-encoding the videos, saving time and preserving the original quality. This section will review the steps to concatenate videos using the “concat” demuxer and “concat” protocols in FFmpeg.

Merge Videos With the “Concat” Demuxer

The concat demuxer in FFmpeg allows you to join together multiple video files with the same codecs by reading a list of file paths from a text file and demuxing them in sequence. Each video starts where the previous one finishes without needing to re-encode the videos. Here’s how to do it:

Step1 Create a .txt file and list the paths of the video files you want to merge.

Join_video.txt

file /Users/Video/input1.mp4

file /Users/Video/input2.mp4

Note: You can add more than two video files.

Step2 Run the FFmpeg command:

ffmpeg -f concat -safe 0 -i join_video.txt -c copy output_demuxer.mp4

Note: -safe 0 is added to accept any file name.

-c copy will copy all the streams.

As this method allows you to “stream copy” the files instead of re-encoding them, the concatenation is very fast. This can be a good option if you have videos with the same codecs and want to join them quickly without losing quality.

Join Videos With the “Concat” Protocol

The concat protocol in FFmpeg allows you to join together multiple video files in a specific format that supports file-level concatenation, such as MPEG-2 TS. However, it cannot be used for other video formats like MP4 and WEBM.

Here’s how to use the “concat protocol:

Step1 Run the FFmpeg command:

ffmpeg -i “concat:input1.ts|input2.ts” -c copy output_protocol.ts

Note: The concat protocol allows you to “stream copy” the files by adding the option -c copy.

Step2 Input the file name of the video using this code:

ffmpeg -i “concat:input1.mp4|input2.mp4” -c copy output_protocol.mp4

Note: If you try to use this method on video formats that are not supported, only the first input video will be saved in the output video. And the video ends after the first video.

Although this method is limited in terms of supported video formats, it’s very easy to use if you merge videos in the supported formats. It’s a single command in the terminal without needing a text file. Additionally, using the -c copy option makes it efficient as it doesn’t require re-encoding, saving time.

Concatenate MP4 Video Files of Different Codecs & Resolutions Using FFmpeg

If the videos you want to concatenate have different codecs or resolutions, you can still use FFmpeg to join them together. However, this method requires re-encoding the videos, which can take longer and may result in a loss of quality. This section will cover the steps to concatenate videos with different codecs or resolutions using FFmpeg.

Here’s how to do it:

Step1 Provide the names of the input files to FFmpeg.

ffmpeg -i file1.mp4 -i file2.mp4 -i file3.mp4 \

Step2 Use the filter_complex filtergraph parameter to instruct FFmpeg from where to take the audio and video.

-filter_complex “[0:v] [0:a] [1:v] [1:a] [2:v] [2:a]

Note: [0:v][0:a] means FFmpeg needs to take the video and audio from the 0th video (file1.mp4).

Step3 Tell FFmpeg to concatenate three files (n=3).

concat=n=3:v=1:a=1 [vv] [aa]“ \

Note: The v=1:a=1 implies one stream for the audio and one stream for the video.

Step4 Map these audio and video outputs to the final video container. This is done as follows:

-map “[vv]“ -map “[aa]“ mergedVideo.mp4

It is important to note that this method requires re-encoding the videos, which can take more time and may result in a loss of quality. However, it offers the flexibility of filtering the videos before concatenating them. The filter_complex method in FFmpeg allows you to concatenate videos of different codecs and resolutions. The final step is to map the audio and video outputs to the final video container. This can be done using the -map command.

Concatenate Videos With Multiple Audio Streams Using FFmpeg

Concatenating videos with multiple audio streams can be more complex than concatenating videos with a single audio stream. This section will cover the steps to concatenate videos with multiple audio streams using FFmpeg. We’ll be using the filter_complex method in FFmpeg, which allows you to manipulate and concatenate multiple audio and video streams in a single command. This method is more advanced but allows you to join videos with different audio streams and create a final video with multiple audio tracks.

Step1 Specify the input files and opening.mkv, episode.mkv, and ending.mkv:

$ ffmpeg -i opening.mkv -i episode.mkv -i ending.mkv -filter_complex

Step2 Use the filter_complex parameter in FFmpeg to specify the input streams for the video and audio.

[0:0] [0:1] [0:2] [1:0] [1:1] [1:2] [2:0] [2:1] [2:2]

Note: Single video stream ([0:0], [1:0], [2:0])

Dual audio streams ([0:1][0:2], [1:1][1:2], [2:1][2:2])

Step3 Use the concat filter to specify that you want to concatenate 3 files (n=3) with 1 video stream (v=1) and 2 audio streams (a=2). Specify the output streams as [v], [a1], [a2]:

concat=n=3:v=1:a=2 [v] [a1] [a2]

Step4 Use the -map option to map the output streams to the final video container:

-map ‘[v]‘ -map ‘[a1]‘ -map ‘[a2]‘ output.mkv

[Bonus] Join Videos Together With Filmora

While FFmpeg offers a wide range of options for joining videos together, it can have a steep learning curve for some users. An alternative method for joining videos is using Filmora. Wondershare Filmora is a user-friendly video editing software that allows you to easily join multiple videos. It’s a great option for users new to video editing or needing experience with command-line tools like FFmpeg.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora has a simple drag-and-drop interface, making adding, arranging, and editing videos and audio tracks easy. Additionally, it offers various features like split, trim, crop, merge, and more. It also has various effects, transitions, and animations to enhance the overall look of your video. With Filmora, you can create professional-looking videos with minimal effort.

How-to Steps

Here’s how to merge videos using Filmora:

Step1 Open Filmora and click “New Project.”

Step2 Go to “File“ > “Import Media“ > “Import Media Files“ to add your video files to the media library.

Step3 Drag and drop the files you want to merge from the media library to the timeline, and then you’ll get the merged video seamlessly.

Step4 Edit your video.

Step5 After editing, click the “Export“ tab to save your videos.

Conclusion

FFmpeg is a powerful tool that allows you to concatenate videos in various ways. Whether you’re working with videos of the same codecs and resolutions or videos with multiple audio streams, FFmpeg can handle it. However, for users new to video editing or needing experience with command-line tools, using Filmora can be a more user-friendly option. It offers a simple drag-and-drop interface and a variety of features and effects to enhance the overall look of your video.

Step2 Run the FFmpeg command:

ffmpeg -f concat -safe 0 -i join_video.txt -c copy output_demuxer.mp4

Note: -safe 0 is added to accept any file name.

-c copy will copy all the streams.

As this method allows you to “stream copy” the files instead of re-encoding them, the concatenation is very fast. This can be a good option if you have videos with the same codecs and want to join them quickly without losing quality.

Join Videos With the “Concat” Protocol

The concat protocol in FFmpeg allows you to join together multiple video files in a specific format that supports file-level concatenation, such as MPEG-2 TS. However, it cannot be used for other video formats like MP4 and WEBM.

Here’s how to use the “concat protocol:

Step1 Run the FFmpeg command:

ffmpeg -i “concat:input1.ts|input2.ts” -c copy output_protocol.ts

Note: The concat protocol allows you to “stream copy” the files by adding the option -c copy.

Step2 Input the file name of the video using this code:

ffmpeg -i “concat:input1.mp4|input2.mp4” -c copy output_protocol.mp4

Note: If you try to use this method on video formats that are not supported, only the first input video will be saved in the output video. And the video ends after the first video.

Although this method is limited in terms of supported video formats, it’s very easy to use if you merge videos in the supported formats. It’s a single command in the terminal without needing a text file. Additionally, using the -c copy option makes it efficient as it doesn’t require re-encoding, saving time.

Concatenate MP4 Video Files of Different Codecs & Resolutions Using FFmpeg

If the videos you want to concatenate have different codecs or resolutions, you can still use FFmpeg to join them together. However, this method requires re-encoding the videos, which can take longer and may result in a loss of quality. This section will cover the steps to concatenate videos with different codecs or resolutions using FFmpeg.

Here’s how to do it:

Step1 Provide the names of the input files to FFmpeg.

ffmpeg -i file1.mp4 -i file2.mp4 -i file3.mp4 \

Step2 Use the filter_complex filtergraph parameter to instruct FFmpeg from where to take the audio and video.

-filter_complex “[0:v] [0:a] [1:v] [1:a] [2:v] [2:a]

Note: [0:v][0:a] means FFmpeg needs to take the video and audio from the 0th video (file1.mp4).

Step3 Tell FFmpeg to concatenate three files (n=3).

concat=n=3:v=1:a=1 [vv] [aa]“ \

Note: The v=1:a=1 implies one stream for the audio and one stream for the video.

Step4 Map these audio and video outputs to the final video container. This is done as follows:

-map “[vv]“ -map “[aa]“ mergedVideo.mp4

It is important to note that this method requires re-encoding the videos, which can take more time and may result in a loss of quality. However, it offers the flexibility of filtering the videos before concatenating them. The filter_complex method in FFmpeg allows you to concatenate videos of different codecs and resolutions. The final step is to map the audio and video outputs to the final video container. This can be done using the -map command.

Concatenate Videos With Multiple Audio Streams Using FFmpeg

Concatenating videos with multiple audio streams can be more complex than concatenating videos with a single audio stream. This section will cover the steps to concatenate videos with multiple audio streams using FFmpeg. We’ll be using the filter_complex method in FFmpeg, which allows you to manipulate and concatenate multiple audio and video streams in a single command. This method is more advanced but allows you to join videos with different audio streams and create a final video with multiple audio tracks.

Step1 Specify the input files and opening.mkv, episode.mkv, and ending.mkv:

$ ffmpeg -i opening.mkv -i episode.mkv -i ending.mkv -filter_complex

Step2 Use the filter_complex parameter in FFmpeg to specify the input streams for the video and audio.

[0:0] [0:1] [0:2] [1:0] [1:1] [1:2] [2:0] [2:1] [2:2]

Note: Single video stream ([0:0], [1:0], [2:0])

Dual audio streams ([0:1][0:2], [1:1][1:2], [2:1][2:2])

Step3 Use the concat filter to specify that you want to concatenate 3 files (n=3) with 1 video stream (v=1) and 2 audio streams (a=2). Specify the output streams as [v], [a1], [a2]:

concat=n=3:v=1:a=2 [v] [a1] [a2]

Step4 Use the -map option to map the output streams to the final video container:

-map ‘[v]‘ -map ‘[a1]‘ -map ‘[a2]‘ output.mkv

[Bonus] Join Videos Together With Filmora

While FFmpeg offers a wide range of options for joining videos together, it can have a steep learning curve for some users. An alternative method for joining videos is using Filmora. Wondershare Filmora is a user-friendly video editing software that allows you to easily join multiple videos. It’s a great option for users new to video editing or needing experience with command-line tools like FFmpeg.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora has a simple drag-and-drop interface, making adding, arranging, and editing videos and audio tracks easy. Additionally, it offers various features like split, trim, crop, merge, and more. It also has various effects, transitions, and animations to enhance the overall look of your video. With Filmora, you can create professional-looking videos with minimal effort.

How-to Steps

Here’s how to merge videos using Filmora:

Step1 Open Filmora and click “New Project.”

Step2 Go to “File“ > “Import Media“ > “Import Media Files“ to add your video files to the media library.

Step3 Drag and drop the files you want to merge from the media library to the timeline, and then you’ll get the merged video seamlessly.

Step4 Edit your video.

Step5 After editing, click the “Export“ tab to save your videos.

Conclusion

FFmpeg is a powerful tool that allows you to concatenate videos in various ways. Whether you’re working with videos of the same codecs and resolutions or videos with multiple audio streams, FFmpeg can handle it. However, for users new to video editing or needing experience with command-line tools, using Filmora can be a more user-friendly option. It offers a simple drag-and-drop interface and a variety of features and effects to enhance the overall look of your video.

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