Which cameras can upload to the cloud?
Very few cameras upload to the cloud on their own — here's what exists, and how to make any camera do it.
Cameras with built-in cloud upload
A small number of bodies can upload directly: some connect to their maker's cloud service, and a growing list of selected professional models from Fujifilm, Canon, Panasonic and others support Frame.io Camera to Cloud. These need the camera itself on a working internet connection (venue Wi-Fi, or a phone hotspot) and usually only send to that one service.
Cameras that upload to a phone
Most modern Canon, Nikon, Sony and Fujifilm cameras can send pictures to a phone over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth using the maker's companion app. Those apps are built for copying selects or small previews, not for moving every full-resolution file as you shoot, and they stop at the phone — nothing goes on to Dropbox, Google Drive or a client gallery.
Make any camera upload to the cloud
The universal approach is to let your phone be the camera's uplink. Tether the camera to the phone over USB-C or the camera's Wi-Fi with CloudTether, and each full-resolution JPEG or RAW file is pulled off the camera the moment you shoot, then uploaded over the phone's mobile data or Wi-Fi to Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Photos, Lightroom, SmugMug, ShootProof, FTP or S3 — several at once if you like. It works with cameras that have no cloud feature at all.
How fast is it?
In our field data, a typical JPEG reaches the phone in well under half a second over USB, and USB is about three times faster than Wi-Fi on the same camera — see the USB vs Wi-Fi tethering speed test. The cloud upload then runs in the background while you keep shooting.
What to check before you buy
If you're choosing a camera for cloud delivery, look for USB-C with tethering (PTP) support or camera Wi-Fi that works with third-party apps — that's what lets a phone pull every file. Built-in cloud upload is a bonus, not a requirement.
FAQ
Can my camera upload directly to the cloud?
Only a few models can, usually to one service and only when the camera is on an internet connection. Tethering the camera to your phone with CloudTether makes almost any Canon, Nikon, Sony or Fujifilm camera upload every shot to the cloud as you shoot.
Which camera uploads to Google Drive or Dropbox automatically?
Cameras don't sign in to Google Drive or Dropbox themselves. Tether the camera to your phone and CloudTether uploads each photo to Google Drive, Dropbox or both automatically.
Do I need a special camera?
No. Any camera that supports USB tethering or Wi-Fi transfer to a phone works — CloudTether supports Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm and more.
Tether your camera to the cloud with CloudTether
Deliver every shot to the cloud or a client gallery, live as you shoot — no laptop.