iPad camera kit error "device uses too much power"

Just bought the camera kit, specifically to give myself a way to access files locally (not having to use an outside and limited file sharing service). Apparently, Apple's latest os reduced the power to the port from 100ma to 20ma, which not only prevents people from attaching external USB keys, but also caused most cameras (the main reason most other people bought the "camera kit") to stop connecting, giving the error.

I'll try connecting to a powered USB hub, and see what happens. Will be disappointed if Apple won't let me do this. I really am trying to use the iPad as a "post pc device" (to quote Steve Jobs directly). Kinda hard doing that without files, or being tethered to iTunes just to edit a document or access my own media.

Mactk123-

As a point of reference, I tried several cameras and all worked with the Camera Connection Kit. I tried two Sony, two Canon, a Pentax and an old Olympus. I doubt that "most cameras" draw too much current.

I also tried several card-to-USB adapters. I have five single adapters that worked OK and three universal adapters that draw too much current.

When Apple first reduced the available current there were many complaints similar to yours. In case they increased it slightly with a later iPad update, you might check to see if your iPad has the latest iOS version.

Fred

I'm running the current ios 5.0.1 and I'm getting the same error message when I plug in my Nikon coolpix s4100. I don't understand how I'm suppose to transfer photos to this thing. I'm having buyers remorse Apple...

Does your camera have a menu setting to enable Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) and/or Mass Storage Device protocol ?

My wife had this problem with her Nikon s6200. Admittedly it was with a non-apple camera interface adapter (1/4 the price of the official offering!).

The SD reader worked OK but when plugging the camera into the USB port it gave the 'too much power' error.

The solution was to be found in the camera menu. There is an option called 'charge from computer' and if you disable this then the problem goes away. The camera still charges fine from the mains adapter.

Peter

The solution is to use a powered USB hub between the device and the iPad accessory. Plug the device into the powered hub, then plug the hub into the accessory. I'm using it with a Sony Bloggie camera.

Same error message with apple camera connection kit and ipad2 and Sony cybershot dsc-hx9v. It worked with old sony cybershot???? Bought iPad to use for camera downloads on vacation so connecting to other things defeats the purpose. Both camera and iPad batteries are fully charged...

Found solution. Go to camera (Sony DSC HX9V) and in camera, go to menu - settings toolbox - Main settings (tool icon) - page 3 USB Power Supply and change to OFF (default is ON); make USB Connect Setting (Mass Storage); and then the camera connector to ipad2 works. Only issue is when you download from camera to Mac iphoto, you get a PMB icon and a couple of other things on the desktop that you have to unmount.

Not sure if this will work with all cameras, or if they have such a setting.

What a hassle.

I can drag and drop photos/videos from my iPhone, when I plug it into a powered USB hub. But I plug in my iPAD, NOOOOOOooo I need to purchase a camera kit. So I submit, I purchase the camera kit. I plug in my USB thumb drive and get the infamous draws too much power ( what kind of crap is that? It's a chip, not spinning media and the device tell the ipad that when it mounts). So then I plug the thumb drive (with the folder called DCIM) into a powered USB hub and plug that into the camera kit. I then have the privilege if now being able to import my video's to the Camera (why not videos, it's a quicktime movie made on an iPhone for crying out loud).

I plugged both my iPhone and my iPad into the powered hub and could see the DCIM on both devices. When this occurs, the DCIM on both devices is disable and nothing is visible.

Enough ********: Here's a solution.

1. Copy the content onto a USB Flash drive. The content must be copied into a folder called DCIM on the root directory of the USB Flash Drive.

2. Insert the USB Flash drive into a powered USB hub (in my case it is a Belkin F5U237 Rev 3.

3. Insert the USB Hub input into the USB Camera Kit.

4. Insert the Camera Kit into the iPad.

At this point a nastygram can pop up on the iPad indicating that the USB device is not supported.

The iPad will then launch to the Photo application and prompt to import the content from the flash drive.

It's even smart enough to allow you to DELETE all the content from the flash drive if you want to.

In my humble opinion, this is another fine tuning of the Apple cash extraction engine to force consumers to fork over their hard earned $$$ for something this is already built into the OS (hey, its works on my iPhone right). Don't get me wrong, I have Apple products, but this is going to make me think twice about the next purchase.

So as for ease of use, my new iPAD gets a 1 out of 5 stars

Thank you, I have a Nikon and this solution worked for me

I was having the same problem connecting my Fujifilm F30 to my new 3rd gen iPad. I discovered that if I connected my camera to the charging unit while connected to the iPad I had no problems downloading pictures.

I haven't charged my camera battery in several months, even though the indicator says it's fully charged, so I'm charging the camera battery as well as my iPad battery which was showing about 70% charged.

Will see how it goes with a fully charged iPad and camera battery.

I have a SONY BLOGGIE & KODAK PlayFULL Camera...NEITHER WILL WORK ON IPAD3...USES TOO MUCH POWER IS MESSAGE...DEFEATS PURPOSE OF THE CAMERA & USB Adaptors...Can't even use a THUMBDRIVE Same deal...USES TOO MUCH POWER...HELP!

I get the same " too much power" error msg when I connect my Samsung WB150T camera to my iPad2.

Since all else failed, I checked my users manual and it says that the camera only connects to computers running Windows XP or Vista. Duh!

It's true that "most cameras" don't have a problem, but the Sony cameras do; but when I contacted Sony, they said it was exclusively an Apple problem. I told them I didn't think so, because by Nikon DSLR and Panasonic and Fuji P&S cameras all work fine. It's a problem with Sony. At that point they disconnected.

Resetting the USB for unpowered in the camera does no good; and of course you can't run this camera with the power cord while trying to download, there's only one I/O port for both functions. So it's a powered USB hub or nothing.

Sony is famous for this sort of thing, by the way. They supply a nifty movie utility with their cameras, but don't bother to tell you in the material, online, or anywhere else that it doesn't work with Apple OS.