Charge while connected to Nikon Z7II

I built a sheet metal photo booth to house my iPad 12.9" and Nikon Z7II. My wife and I own a photography business and photograph events of all kinds. I did a test run with this setup at my wife's bridal shower and after about 50 photos the originally fully charged iPad died while the camera still had a full charge. I expected this to happen just not so quickly. I know the iPad was charging the camera over the USB C connection.

So,

When the user clicks the start button on the Booth.Events app on the iPad it takes a series of photos and sends them to the iPad storage so then the user can send the photo strip to their email, so what I am looking for is a way to simultaneously plug the iPad into a power source and connect to the camera for the live view on the iPad and data transfer for the photos. I see that there are USB C splitters for sale, one side being power input and the other side being the data connection, but some reviews say they are not safe. My fear is that the iPad will be charging at say 9 volts but the camera charges with 5 volts so I do not want to damage the camera by sending 9 volts to it.

Can someone recommend a solution for me or is this not possible?

Thank you.

iPad Pro 12.9-inch, 3rd Gen, Wi-Fi, Cell

Posted on Aug 19, 2022 8:29 AM

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LotusPilot

Community+ 2025

Level 10

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Posted on Aug 21, 2022 5:55 PM

If you are connecting high power USB devices (such as a camera) to your iPad, you might be best advised to connect your iPad and Camera to a powered USB-C Hub that supports USB PD (Power Delivery) pass-through to your iPad. The type of USB Hub will typically have a pigtail connection with which to connect your iPad - and a USB-C PD port with which to connect a USB-C Power Adapter. Your camera is then connected to another of the Hub’s USB ports.

The hub is best considered an optimum distribution point for both power and data.

In sizing the Power Adapter, consider your power budget. Your iPad will be capable of drawing up to 18-20W. The hub itself requires power, typically 10-12W - plus your Camera’s typical power needs (another 5W?). As such, you will likely benefit from a USB-C Power Adapter rated at 30W or greater. The hub will ensure that your camera, should it require external power, will only receive the power that it requires - within the maximum capability of the USB port to which it connects.

Of available USB hubs, perhaps consider Kingston, Anker, Hyperdrive and Satechi - although there are many others from which to choose. A Google Search for USB-C Hubs compatible with iPad will find a number of articles and recommendations. When choosing a hub, ensure that you select a hub whose manufacturer’s specifications explicitly list compatibility with iPad.

Speaking of personal experience, the Kingston Nucleum has proven itself to be particularly flexible for connection of high power USB devices - featuring twin USB3.1 Type-A, downstream USB-C and SD/microSD card slots, HDMI, plus a power pass-through USB-C port that can accept +45W from a suitable USB power source.

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Charge while connected to Nikon Z7II

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