Camera-to-Cloud Technology: When Will It Be Ready for Productions?

Are you tired of shipping hard drives and waiting for Dropbox download links to send your footage? Well, Frame.io has launched C2C (or “Camera 2 Cloud”), which allows you to send footage from your camera to the cloud, enabling collaborators to view and edit the project entirely remotely and instantaneously. And they recently announced a significant update to this feature with in-camera integrations with RED and Fujifilm cameras!

Using current LTE networks and WiFi, Frame.io transmits low bandwidth, high-quality H.264 proxies with matching timecode and filename metadata straight to the cloud. This new C2C update is available for the RED V-Raptor and V-Raptor XL, and they can both upload 8K REDCODE RAW files directly to the cloud from the camera.

But, of course, this update requires access to high-bandwidth networking (wireless or ethernet). So, you can’t exactly go out in the desert and expect C2C to work. However, for most shooters out there, that seems like an improbable scenario anyway.

This new update also works with the incredible new Fujifilm mirrorless camera, the Fujifilm X-H2S. This camera is gaining in popularity as more filmmakers discover its incredible sensor and hybrid capabilities for video and stills. And when paired with the FT-XH file transfer attachment to establish an internet connection, photography workflows will be fully cloud-based.

The fact that this technology exists is pretty mind-blowing and a testament to how quickly this industry can adapt and innovate to provide film and video professionals with the best solutions for quick and intelligent content creation. However, just because you can work with this technology doesn’t necessarily mean you should or need to.

Ultimately, camera-to-cloud technology might come down to your preferred workflows, specific video needs, and your studio’s internet connection capabilities. But, even if it’s not your desired workflow today, it’s undeniable that C2C is here to stay. It’s worth keeping tabs on, trying out, or even implementing yourself if you want to stay at the forefront of this still-blossoming industry.