user12613: I am using Powerpoint to create animations which I then export into a video and crop and convert to GIF using ffmpeg. 
Here is the (cropped) MP4 video, and this is the GIF I was able to produce:

To my (untrained) eye, it appears rather grainy, and not terribly smooth. I am wondering if there are options in ffmpeg I can be using thaat will give me a better quality GIF.
Here is the command I am using to crop:
ffmpeg -i in\vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4 -filter:v "crop=1262:423:91:154" in\cropped_vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4

Here are the two commands I am using to convert:
ffmpeg -y -vf fps=35,scale=896:-1:flags=lanczos,palettegen out\PALETTE.png -i in\cropped_vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4
ffmpeg -y -filter_complex "fps=35,scale=896:-1:flags=lanczos[x];[x][1:v]paletteuse" -i in\cropped_vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4 -i out\PALETTE.png  out\vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.gif

I should say, I am not particularly talented with ffmpeg, I mostly put these commands together from googling and other posts on this site. So if any of the arguments I am using are making the conversion worse, I'd also be interested in hearing about it.
I tried the -b 2048k option, and I couldn't tell a difference in quality. In fact, when I ran a SHA256 hash on the output file with and without this option, the result was identical.

user1871: The separate cropping step is leading to a generational loss. You can combine that and see.
ffmpeg -i in\vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4
       -vf "crop=1262:423:91:154,scale=896:-1:flags=lanczos,fps=35,palettegen"
       out\PALETTE.png

ffmpeg -i in\vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4 -i out\PALETTE.png
       -filter_complex "[0]crop=1262:423:91:154,scale=896:-1:flags=lanczos,fps=35[v];
                        [v][1]paletteuse"
       out\vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.gif


12613: <p>I am using Powerpoint to create animations which I then export into a video and crop and convert to GIF using ffmpeg. </p>

<p><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/6zl9ht7mluiim7a/cropped_vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4?dl=1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Here</a> is the (cropped) MP4 video, and this is the GIF I was able to produce:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/BcKJT.gif" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/BcKJT.gif" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>To my (untrained) eye, it appears rather grainy, and not terribly smooth. I am wondering if there are options in ffmpeg I can be using thaat will give me a better quality GIF.</p>

<p>Here is the command I am using to crop:</p>

<pre><code>ffmpeg -i in\vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4 -filter:v "crop=1262:423:91:154" in\cropped_vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4
</code></pre>

<p>Here are the two commands I am using to convert:</p>

<pre><code>ffmpeg -y -vf fps=35,scale=896:-1:flags=lanczos,palettegen out\PALETTE.png -i in\cropped_vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4
ffmpeg -y -filter_complex "fps=35,scale=896:-1:flags=lanczos[x];[x][1:v]paletteuse" -i in\cropped_vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4 -i out\PALETTE.png  out\vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.gif
</code></pre>

<p>I should say, I am not particularly talented with ffmpeg, I mostly put these commands together from googling and other posts on this site. So if any of the arguments I am using are making the conversion worse, I'd also be interested in hearing about it.</p>

<p>I tried the <code>-b 2048k</code> option, and I couldn't tell a difference in quality. In fact, when I ran a SHA256 hash on the output file with and without this option, the result was identical.</p>
 1871: <p>The separate cropping step is leading to a generational loss. You can combine that and see.</p>

<pre><code>ffmpeg -i in\vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4
       -vf "crop=1262:423:91:154,scale=896:-1:flags=lanczos,fps=35,palettegen"
       out\PALETTE.png

ffmpeg -i in\vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.mp4 -i out\PALETTE.png
       -filter_complex "[0]crop=1262:423:91:154,scale=896:-1:flags=lanczos,fps=35[v];
                        [v][1]paletteuse"
       out\vlans-3vlans-tag-untag.gif
</code></pre>
