Camera FTP guide
Nikon Z50 II FTP setup, step by step
Send every shot from a Nikon Z50 II to a live SnapMila gallery over Wi-Fi. The Z50 II has FTP built in — no transmitter and no Nikon app needed.
By Bijay Kanshi · Tested on a Nikon Z50 II on · Updated · Menu names from Nikon's Z50II Reference Guide
Before you start
- An event in the SnapMila app. Open its Camera setup screen: it shows the server address, the port, your user name (your Gmail) and the event's 6-character password.
- A Wi-Fi network the camera can join — the venue's, or your phone's hotspot. The Z50 II supports open networks, WPA2 and WPA3. Networks with a sign-in web page do not work for cameras.
- A charged battery. Keeping the camera connected uses more power.
No firmware update is needed: Nikon documents FTP from the first Z50 II firmware (C 1.00). The latest version is C 1.11, released on 5 August 2026.
1. Create the FTP profile
- Press MENU and open the network menu. Select [Connect to FTP server], then [Network settings] › [Create profile].
- Choose [Connection wizard] and give the profile a name, for example SnapMila.
2. Join the Wi-Fi network
- Choose [Search for Wi-Fi network]. This is Nikon's Wi-Fi station mode: the camera joins an existing network, the way a phone does. (The other choice, [Direct connection to computer], is access-point mode and is not used with SnapMila.)
- Pick the venue network or your hotspot and enter its password.
- For the IP address choose [Obtain automatically].
3. Enter the SnapMila server
- For the server type choose [FTP].
- Enter the server address exactly as the SnapMila app shows it.
- Choose [Enter user ID] (not anonymous login). The user ID is your Gmail address, as shown in the app — in our test the Z50 II accepted the full address. The password is the event's 6-character password.
- When the wizard asks for the port, enter the port number shown in the app.
- For the destination folder choose [Home folder].
4. Turn on PASV mode
The wizard does not ask about it, so set it afterwards: [Network settings], highlight the SnapMila profile and press the multi selector right to edit it. In the profile's [FTP] section set [PASV mode] to [ON]. SnapMila uses passive mode; without it, uploads stop with Err.37.
5. Set the upload options
In [Connect to FTP server] › [Options]:
| Option | Set to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Auto upload | ON | Marks each new photo for upload the moment it is taken. |
| Upload RAW + JPEG as | the JPEG-only choice | SnapMila builds galleries from JPEGs and does not accept NEF (RAW) files. |
| Upload RAW + HEIF as | leave unused — shoot JPEG | HEIF files are not accepted either. Use a JPEG image quality setting for events. |
| Delete after upload | OFF | Keeps every photo on your card as your backup. |
| Keep connection | ON during the event | Stops the standby timer from dropping the link between bursts. Carry a spare battery. |
Videos are never uploaded automatically, and SnapMila galleries show photos only.
6. Take a test shot
- When connected, the profile name turns green and FTP appears in the shooting display. A red FTP with a warning icon means an error (see below).
- Take one photo. In playback its icon goes from white (waiting) to green (uploading) to blue (uploaded).
- Open the event in the SnapMila app or scan its QR: the photo appears within about half a minute.
Photos taken before Auto upload was on
Auto upload only marks photos taken after you turn it on. To send earlier shots, connect first, then press the playback button, pick the photo, press i and choose [Select for upload (FTP)]. For many photos at once, use [Filtered playback] and then [Select all for upload (FTP)]. These items appear only while the camera is connected.
For your next event
Keep the same profile. Create the new event in the app, then edit the profile's [FTP] settings and change only the password to the new event's password. The server, port and user ID stay the same.
Troubleshooting
| What you see | What to check |
|---|---|
| Err.31 | The server address. Re-enter it exactly as the app shows it. |
| Err.32 | The user ID (your Gmail) or the event password. After five wrong tries SnapMila pauses sign-ins from that network for a few minutes — wait, fix the password, and connect again. |
| Err.37 | PASV mode. Turn it on in the profile's FTP section (step 4). |
| The connection keeps dropping | Move closer to the router or switch to your phone's hotspot. Nikon also suggests a router channel between 1 and 8. Turning the camera off and on resumes marked uploads. |
| A photo is missing in the gallery | The SnapMila app names missing file numbers. Mark those photos with [Select for upload (FTP)] to send them again. |
How we tested
On we connected a Nikon Z50 II to SnapMila over Wi-Fi in station mode, with PASV on and a Gmail address as the user ID. The camera signed in, checked its file names, and uploaded each JPEG. Our server received the file and stored it in the gallery about five seconds after the transfer ended. That test ran on a local network.
Nikon's reference guide says that internet FTP connections are not officially supported by Nikon. A connection to an FTP server over the internet can still work, but Nikon does not guarantee it. We will add the result of our own internet test to this page.
Sources
- Nikon Z50II Reference Guide — Connect to FTP server, FTP servers: connecting via wireless LAN, uploading pictures, troubleshooting and error codes. Checked 9 October 2026.
- Nikon Download Center — Z50II firmware. Checked 9 October 2026.
Spotted a menu name that differs on your camera? Tell us and we will correct the page.