Wireless Tethering: Sony Camera to Cloud

For professional sports, news, and wedding photographers, speed is everything. The traditional workflow involves shooting to SD cards, running to a laptop, ingesting images, and then uploading.

This guide shows you how to skip the laptop entirely. By using the built-in FTP client in modern Sony Alpha cameras, you can upload JPEGs or RAWs directly to the cloud while you shoot.

Prerequisites

1. Sony Camera with FTP support (a9 series, a1, a7R IV/V, a7 IV, FX3).
2. Internet Connection: 5G Mobile Hotspot, Venue Wi-Fi, or Ethernet.
3. S3-Compatible Storage Bucket: An active bucket and API credentials from your preferred cloud provider (AWS S3, Backblaze B2, Cloudflare R2, Wasabi, or MinIO).
4. Rilavek Account: To act as the bridge between FTP and S3. Create a free account (10GB/month, no credit card required).

Step 1: Connect Your S3 Bucket, Pipe & Sender

First, configure your cloud storage destination and generate the credentials your camera needs to log in.

1. Log in to your Rilavek Dashboard.
2. Connect your S3 Bucket: Go to Data Stores → New Data Store. Select your provider (AWS S3, Backblaze B2, Cloudflare R2, etc.), enter your bucket name, region, and access keys, then save. If you need guidance with bucket setup or IAM policies, follow the Data Store Setup Guide.
3. Create a Pipe: Go to Pipes → Create Pipe. Attach your newly created S3 data store and target path (e.g., s3://my-agency-bucket/live-event/). Note down your Pipe ID (e.g., pipe_123). Follow our Pipe Creation Guide for a step-by-step walkthrough.
4. Create a Sender: Go to Senders → New Sender, name it (e.g., SonyCam), and copy the generated password. Learn more in the Sender Guide.
5. Construct your FTP Username: Combine the Sender name and Pipe ID with an @ symbol.
   • Format: SenderName@PipeID
   • Example: SonyCam@pipe_123

Step 2: Configure Camera Network Settings (Wi-Fi)

To upload wirelessly, your camera needs internet access.

1. Press MENU on your camera.
2. Navigate to Network (Green Globe) → Wi-Fi → Access Point Set.
3. Choose your phone's Personal Hotspot or the venue Wi-Fi network.
4. Enter the password.
5. Important: Enable Priority Connection for this network. This ensures your camera automatically reconnects if the signal drops.

Step 3: Configure FTP Server Settings

This tells the camera where to send the files.

1. Navigate to MENU → Network → Transfer/Remote → FTP Transfer Func.
2. Ensure FTP Function is set to On.
3. Select Server Setting and choose an unused server slot (e.g., Server 1).
4. Enter the following details:
   • Display Name: Rilavek (or "Brands" to identify the target).
   • Destination Settings:
     • Host Name: ftp.rilavek.com
     • Secure Protocol: Off (Resulting in Port 21).
   • User Info Setting:
     • User: (Your combined username: SenderName@PipeID)
     • Password: (Paste the Rilavek Sender Password)
   • Directory: /

Step 4: Critical Transfer Preferences

These settings determine reliability and speed.

1. FTP Power Save: Set to Off.
   • Why? This prevents the camera from killing the connection when it goes to sleep, ensuring uploads finish in the background.
2. Transfer Target (Video): Set to Proxy Only.
   • Speed Advantage: This sends small, lightweight video files immediately for social media/news desks while you keep the heavy 4K/8K originals on the card.
3. Auto FTP Transfer:
   • Option A (Event/Sports): Set to On to upload everything as you shoot.
   • Option B (Selective): Set to Off if you want to manually select winners to save data.

Step 5: Custom Button for Speed (Selective Workflow)

If you disabled Auto Transfer, set up a "One-Click Upload" button:

1. Go to MENU → Setup → Operation Customize.
2. Select Custom Key Setting (Playback Mode).
3. Assign a convenient button (like Fn or C1) to FTP Transfer This Image.

Now, when reviewing photos, just hit that button. You will see a Green Check Mark appear once the upload is successful.

Step 6: Start Shooting

1. Return to shooting mode.
2. Take a picture.
3. Look for the FTP Icon (arrow connecting to a cloud or server) on your screen:
   • White Icon: Connected and ready.
   • Orange Icon: Connection error (check Wi-Fi).
   • Blinking Arrow: Upload in progress.

Pro Tip: Map "FTP Transfer" to a custom button (like C1 or C2) in MENU → Setup → Operation Customize to quickly toggle uploads on/off during a shoot.

Your images will now appear instantly in your S3 bucket, ready for editors to access anywhere in the world.

Ready to set up your camera workflow? Create a free Rilavek account to configure your first pipe (10GB/month free, no credit card required), or explore our Camera-to-Cloud Photography Solution to see multi-photographer agency setups.

Technical Reference & Alternatives

• Camera-to-Cloud Solution: Learn how multi-photographer teams stream field shots directly to editors in our Camera-to-Cloud Workflow Guide.
• FTP Implementation Details: For a deep dive into the protocol and troubleshooting, see the Rilavek FTP Documentation.
• Multi-Photographer Fleet: Managing multiple cameras at a live event? Read The Agency Workflow Guide to isolate uploads per shooter.
• Other Camera Systems: Setting up a multi-brand fleet? Check our guides for Canon (R5/R6) and Nikon (Z9/Z8).
• Security Note: If you require a more secure connection, see how to configure FTPS for Sony cameras that support SSL.