Camera upload to cloud storage using SFTP

By default most high-end cameras support protocols such as FTP and SFTP to transfer the likes of images and videos to a traditional file server. However, these solutions by default do not often support the likes of Dropbox, Google Drive or other cloud storage. So how can you upload files from your cloud storage using SFTP? Couchdrop has a simple solution. 

Simplify file transfers to cloud storage

Having files transfer directly to your Dropbox enables you to easily access them for editing and collaboration purposes, or to easily share with others.

Couchdrop bridges this gap by enabling you to SFTP or FTP your files directly to your cloud storage whether it be Dropbox, Google Drive, or a block storage solution such as Wasabi or Amazon S3. Couchdrop’s Cloud SFTP does not retain, store, or sync your data; it is streamed to your own storage platform in real time.

Connecting your camera to Couchdrop to upload files to cloud storage using SFTP

The process is simple and only takes a few minutes to configure.

• Step 1. Create Couchdrop account
• Step 2. Connect your storage
• Step 3. Create additional SFTP user(s) (optional)
• Step 4. Configure camera/device

Step 1. Create Couchdrop account

Start by registering for a Couchdrop account if you haven't signed up already. Not to worry, Couchdrop offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

Step 2. Connect your storage

Navigate to your Storage Connections within Couchdrop’s admin console and add a new storage connection. For the purposes of this guide, we’ve chosen Google Drive. See here for more storage connections and guides.

Step 3. Create additional SFTP user(s) optional

This is where you could create different users for different cameras or devices so that their files automatically upload to a different directory automatically, a good way to isolate files as well as not use your admin account to connect over the internet to transfer files. Otherwise, you could use your admin account and specify the upload directory should your device support it.

Jump to the User Accounts tab under Couchdrop’s admin console and create a new user. This user will need at a minimum, a username, password and to have your chosen protocol (SFTP or FTP enabled). You can also set the default home directory for the user.

Step 4. Configure camera/device

To configure your device, you will often need to provide the following:

• Hostname — this is your primary URL within Couchdrop
• Username and Password — either your additional user or your global Couchdrop account
• Directory — specify this if you did not set a home directory for the additional user, or you did not create one and you’re using your global account

Example of an upload into Google Drive via an SFTP client

Below while not using a camera or device, it is using a standardized SFTP client to upload data directly to Google Drive via SFTP.

First, we connect to Couchdrop and configure the Google Drive storage. For this example, we've called the Google Drive Folder Camera Images Files.

Next, we upload the file with an SFTP client.

When you check in Google Drive, you'll see that the file is now in the folder we've configured in Couchdrop. 

And it also appears in Couchdrop's virtual file system. 

It's that simple! Now you can connect your camera to Google Drive or other cloud storage via SFTP. Want to try it for yourself? You can try Couchdrop free for 14 days with no credit card required and no other hoops to go through. Simply sign up and go and start sending files in minutes.