Everything About MP4 And GIF You Should Know – Which One Is Better

MP4 is a video format that is not unfamiliar to us. GIF is a dynamic image composed of pictures, which is common in social software. You usually use a GIF to express your feelings at the moment in chat software. But what is the difference between MP4 and GIF, and which is better? Today, this article will give you a thorough understanding of MP4 and GIF. Read on to find out!

Guide List:

Part 1: What is MP4

Part 2: What is GIF

Part 3. MP4 vs GIF

Part 4: Can MP4 Be Turned into GIF?

Part 5: Where Are the Popular GIF Downloading Websites?

Part 6. FAQs

Part 1: What Is MP4

You may often think that MP4 is a video format, but it is a digital multimedia container format. You can not only use MP4 to store videos( MPEG-H Part 2 (H.265/HEVC), MPEG-4 Part 10 (H.264/AVC) and MPEG-4 Part 2), but also audio files(Advanced Audio Coding (AAC)), images, subtitles(MPEG-4 Timed Text), and other data.

Its biggest advantage is its high compatibility. You can play MP4 files on almost any platform, like Windows, Mac, and Linux. Moreover, MP4 is often used to store high-definition video because of its high compression capacity and smaller file size.

The video quality can be guaranteed to the greatest extent. If the video needs to be converted to other formats, MP4 is the initial choice of most people.

Part 2: What Is GIF

The full name of the GIF is Graphics Interchange Format. It can support not only static images but also animated images. GIF is common among social media, such as WeChat, Facebook, and Twitter. When chatting with friends, you will use some GIF words or your mood at the moment.

GIFs can also be used for business. Some companies will use GIFs to display goods or use the logo as GIF to attract customers. Moreover, it is generally divided into three types, video-based GIF, animation-based GIF, and sticker GIF.

Part 3. MP4 vs GIF

Now that you know MP4 and GIF let’s talk about their differences. First of all, for the file itself, MP4 is a media container that can store multiple types of files, including video, audio, and static images, while GIF only supports images like static and dynamic.

The obvious difference is the length of the two files. GIF usually lasts only 20 seconds, but MP4 can last several seconds to several hours. This also means that GIF is much smaller than MP4.

If you want high-quality output, MP4 must be better than GIF. But GIFs will bring better results if you want to express your emotions and limit the length.

Part 4: Can MP4 Be Turned Into GIF?

Is it possible to convert an MP4 file into GIF? A question from Quora. The answer is, of course, yes! You can convert MP4 to GIF with some tools. Here are three software recommendations and their advantages and disadvantages. You can choose the best one according to your needs.

1. Adobe PhotoShop

If you are a photographer, you must know Adobe PhotoShop, a powerful image editor. This power tool provides a large number of photo correction and operation tools, including erasing, color correction, clipping, adding filters, etc. Moreover, you can also use it to convert MP4 to GIF.

Pros:

1. Provides numerous editing tools.
2. This software is updated frequently to enrich editing functions.

Cons:

1. The price of the fully functional version is on the high side.
2. It has a complex interface that is difficult for novices to operate.

2. Adobe Express

You can convert MP4 to GIF without downloading the software with Adobe Express. You can select the size of the GIF, including Large, Medium, and small. This tool also allows you to change the aspect ratio of the GIF file. Moreover, it provides basic editing tools to trim the length. Converting MP4 to GIF requires only three simple steps!

Pros:

1. Three simple steps to convert MP4 to GIF.
2. Free and easy to use without downloading the software.

Cons:

1. Fewer editing tools to adjust your GIF files.
2. The conversion speed is slow and errors may occur when using it.

3. Convertio

Convertio is also an online video converter that can convert MP4 to GIF. This tool supports converting multiple video files in a batch. You need to import the file to the software and click the Convert button to convert MP4 to GIF.

Pros:

1. It has a straightforward interface and is friendly to beginners.
2. Support batch conversion and save files directly to Dropbox and Google Drive.

Cons:

1. The maximum file size is only 100MB.
2. No editing features and custom settings to adjust the file.

Part 5: Where Are The Popular GIF Downloading Websites?

If you want to directly download some interesting GIFs to share with friends or save them as emoticons, you can go to the following ten websites. You can choose any website from the recommended websites to download GIFs.

1. AnimaterImages.org
2. Imgflip
3. MotionElements
4. Gifer
5. Giphy
6. GIFbin
7. Gfycat
8. Reaction GIFs
9. Reddit
10. Tubmlr

Part 6. FAQs

1. How To Convert MP4 To GIF For Free?

You can use a free online tool to convert MP4 to GIF easily. In addition to the online software recommended above, you can also use Zamzar, FreeConvert, and CloudConvert.

2. MP4 And GIF, Which One Is Better?

You can use an MP4 file if you need long, high-quality documents. Otherwise, you can use GIFs to express emotion or display your products.

3. How To Convert MP4 To GIF With Adobe PhotoShop?

Click the File button to import your MP4 file to the PhotoShop. You should click the Window button to choose the Timeline option. Then click the Create Video Time button to select the Create Frame Animation button.

Conclusion

Well, you have read this article and learned about MP4 and GIFs. You also know the difference between MP4 and GIF. Converting MP4 to GIF to make interesting GIFs, you can use one of the above-recommended software. Moreover, you can download GIFs from the website directly for fun!