OpenShot Video Editor File Sizes for different setups: AVI/MOV/MP4, h264/mpeg4, 720p/1080p, 30/60fps

Science & Technology

OpenShot Video Editor File Sizes for Different Setups: AVI/MOV/MP4, h264/mpeg4, 720p/1080p, 30/60fps

Introduction

I recorded a lecture using Zoom, which is 56 minutes long. The default settings for Zoom are MP4 with H.264 compression, 720p resolution, and 25 frames per second, resulting in a 720MB file. After minimal editing with OpenShot Video Editor, the file sizes varied significantly depending on the export settings. High quality resulted in 6.2GB, medium quality in 2.1GB, and low quality in 201MB. Here's a detailed breakdown of the best methods for saving this lecture while balancing file size and quality.

File Extension and Compression Method

  • Types of Extensions: OpenShot allows exporting files in AVI, MOV, and MP4 formats.
  • Compression Methods: The available compression methods are H.264, MPG4, and MPG2.

Using different file extensions (AVI, MOV, MP4) with the same compression method (H.264, MPG4, MPG2) yielded similar file sizes. Thus, the file extension has minimal impact on file size as long as the compression method remains constant.

Video Quality Settings

  • Low Quality: The file size is significantly reduced, about 10% of medium quality, but the video quality is too low for dynamic content.
  • Medium Quality: Provides a balance between file size and video quality.
  • High Quality: File size is approximately three times that of medium quality, but the quality improvement is marginal.

Resolution: 1080p vs. 720p

For the H.264 compression method, the file size difference between 1080p and 720p is minimal. Thus, 1080p can be used without substantially increasing the file size. For other compression methods (e.g., MPG4), 1080p results in a notable increase in the file size.

Frame Rate: 30fps vs. 60fps

  • H.264 Compression Method: The frame rate has little impact on the file size. Therefore, 60fps can be used without significantly increasing file size if needed.
  • MPG4 Compression Method: Increasing the frame rate from 30fps to 60fps results in a noticeable file size increase.

Summary and Recommendations

  • Compression Method: H.264 is the preferred method due to its efficient file size.
  • Resolution: Using 1080p is advisable as it doesn't significantly increase file size for H.264.
  • Quality: For static content like lectures, low quality is fine; for dynamic content, medium quality is more suitable.
  • Frame Rate: Use 30fps unless 60fps is necessary for smoother motion, especially for H.264.

Keywords

  • OpenShot
  • File size
  • Video quality
  • Compression methods
  • H.264
  • 720p
  • 1080p
  • Frame rate
  • AVI
  • MOV
  • MP4

FAQ

Q: Which file extension is best to use for exporting videos in OpenShot? A: The file extension (AVI, MOV, MP4) does not significantly impact file size if the same compression method is used. Choose based on compatibility and preference.

Q: What compression method should I use for the smallest file size? A: H.264 is the most efficient compression method for reducing file size while maintaining quality.

Q: Is there a significant difference between 720p and 1080p in file size? A: For H.264 compression, the file size difference between 720p and 1080p is minimal. Therefore, using 1080p is generally advisable.

Q: How does the video quality setting affect file size? A: Low quality significantly reduces file size but may worsen visual clarity for dynamic content. Medium quality offers a good balance between file size and quality.

Q: Should I use 30fps or 60fps? A: For H.264, the frame rate has little impact on file size, so choose based on the need for smoother motion. For other compression methods like MPG4, 30fps is advisable as 60fps increases file size noticeably.