Camera Connection Kit
The Apple Camera Connection Kit is a 30-pin accessory, mainly for iPads. It exposes either a USB-A port, or a SD card slot. Its intended purpose is to allow users to transfer photos from their digital cameras, to their iPad's Photos app.
The original product was sold as a bundle of two adapters, one of them being a 30-pin to USB-A converter, and the other 30-pin to SD card converter.
There are chinese clones available, for example LDNIO DL-P301. They usually provide both interfaces on the same device.
Here is a disassembly of one such clone.
The pinout is as follows:
- 1 - GND
- 11 - Serial GND
- 12 - Serial TX
- 13 - Serial RX
- 15 - GND
- 16 - USB GND
- 18 - 3.3V power
- 21 - Accessory selection
- 25 - USB D-
- 27 - USB D+
- 29 - FireWire GND
- 30 - FireWire GND
Since pin 23 is not used, a boost converter can be found on the device, to convert from 3.3V to 5V for powering the USB device. Keep in mind that the current is limited, so power-hungry devices enter a restart loop.
Markings:
- Q1: A1SHB
- U3: 10A45
- U2 is deliberately sanded down and not readable
R5 is measured as 547.4kΩ. It is connected between pin 21 and the ground plane. It signal the type of accessory connected.
Attempting to connect the device to an unsupported iOS device, shows the appropriate message.
References:
https://theapplewiki.com/wiki/30-pin_Connector
https://www.macworld.com/article/205095/ipad_camera_connection_kit.html
https://www.downtowndougbrown.com/2017/05/connecting-an-ios-device-to-an-ethernet-network/
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPad+Camera+Connection+Kit+-+SD+Card+Adapter+Teardown/4129
https://www.flickr.com/photos/omegatron/albums/72157627862038757/
