Azure Blob Storage is Microsoft's object storage service — the infrastructure layer under many enterprise media systems, news organisation workflows, and large-scale file pipelines. For photographers who need to deliver into Azure-based infrastructure, or who want Azure as a cost-effective archive back-end, ZenTransfer provides a direct path from camera to blob container.
How it works
Your camera sends files to ZenTransfer's FTP endpoint as you shoot. ZenTransfer writes each file to the Azure Blob Storage container and path you configure, using a connection string or SAS token with write-only access. Files appear in the container within seconds of the camera transmitting them.
Setting up
Step 1: Create a storage account and container in Azure
In the Azure portal, create a Blob Storage container in an existing or new storage account. Use a SAS token scoped to Write and Create permissions on that container — this gives ZenTransfer exactly the access it needs, nothing more.
Step 2: Connect Azure in the ZenTransfer dashboard
In your Destinations settings, select Azure Blob Storage. Enter your storage account name, container name, and the SAS token or connection string.
Step 3: Configure FTP on your camera
Enter the ZenTransfer FTP credentials in your camera's network settings. Use a phone hotspot or portable 5G device on location.
Use cases
Enterprise media delivery — organisations running on Azure often have SharePoint, Azure Media Services, or custom ingest pipelines that consume files from Blob Storage. ZenTransfer provides a camera-to-blob path into those systems without requiring a laptop or manual upload step.
Azure-hosted newsroom systems — some newsroom content management and digital asset management platforms are hosted on Azure and pull directly from Blob Storage as their ingest source. ZenTransfer writes files to the container; the newsroom system processes them from there.
Cost-effective long-term archive — Azure Blob Archive tier costs approximately $0.001/GB/month, making it one of the cheapest long-term archive options for large photography collections. Lifecycle management policies can move files from Hot to Cool to Archive tiers automatically as they age.
Data residency requirements — Azure's regional deployment means you can specify exactly which Azure region stores your files. For photographers with EU data residency requirements, an Azure EU region (West Europe, North Europe, or others) keeps all data within the region.
Azure regions and data residency
When setting up the Azure storage account, select the region that meets your data residency requirements. ZenTransfer's Azure integration writes to whichever region your storage account resides in — there is no intermediary copy in another region.
From $3.75 per month
Camera-to-cloud delivery for photojournalists. No laptop required.