The Apple camera connection kit comes with two bits which can plug into the iPad, one takes SD cards and the other provides a very limited USB port into which you should be able to plug the 7D's cable (not the iPad's) to download. This does seem to take quite a while I agree, there are 3rd party kits which take CF cards but these seem to have mixed reviews as to whether they work or not and since most come from China there seems to be very little come back. One option I have used is to get a CF/SD converter (adaptor the size of a CF card that you slot an SD into) and then use the SD reader with the iPad, downside is that it does slow down the card speed in the camera and again not all makes work :-( PS. SD is not an American only card but the most popular storage card format, Canon were just being a little awkward in only using CF for newer models such as the 7D