Hey guys, so we are building a new resort in Indonesia in the next few months. Scheduled completion date is Feb 2021. An idea that I proposed was to put in a specific equipment room with the following:
Traveling SEA 3 times a year with more than 40kgs of dive and photo gear, I had various experiences with camera rooms, most of them I didn't use because they were too cramped, too dark and either too cold or too warm. So either you build a decent useful camera room or you save your money for something else taht will please non photographers.
Also I am not that fond of paying expensive stuff included in the resort rate that I won't use anyway.
1. Climate control box for your gears and camera, with humidity control.
If you go with the camera room concept, you'll need one individual station per guest (we photogs are not fond at all of sharing our workspace), otherwise forget about the camera room..
I don't think humidity control is needed, certainly not when outside it's 100% humidity and 34C. It will just fog your euipment when carrying it out. Just need some cool, breezy and clear area.
I repeat it's critical that the room is clear and well lit because our black camera cases and bags seems to attract the mosquitoes a lot.
2. Table with a lot of lights so that you can repair and fix your gears.
It's the individual workstation, pls avoid dark tables, a light color work plan is better for finding out where that o-ring jumped or where you put the small screwdriver.
It's better that you organize the work plan on different levels : some shelves at eye level to charge batteries (lots of power plugs any type, available battery chargers would be a good idea).
A little lower should be large shelves to put all our stuff like ports, lights, nuts and bolts. Photogs have a lot of them which take a large space on the main work table..
I always dreamt of individual work stations on two or three levels like a staircase : you have to understand how photogs work first, stage 1 we soak the housing into a water tank then stage 2 leave it somewhere on a towel and dry it with a air hose, this needs to be done on a lower level so it doesn't splash around on the main work table, then Stage 3, rest it dry on the work table which should be ideally on a higher table away from the "wetter" area. This is the dry area where you would kit up your camera, change lenses, ports, batteries or memory cards, etc. Most of the time this area is always mildly humid because of stage 1 and 2. This should also be the well lit area.
3. A full set of tools to repair anything that might need repairing.
Tools should be on demand otherwise you'll have to purchase a set every fortnight.
4. Internet.
Better in the rooms.
5. Computer and calibrated monitor to review the photos.
...and Lightroom + Photoshop latest version, etc.?
I am not sure with that one, photogs are all traveling with own and use our softwares customized as we like it. TBH I wouldn't care about an external computer.
6. Wet box to wash your gear..
Yes but do take into consideration the staircase arrangement I described. Compressed air hose to dry the water off the housing is critical for each work station.
Lots of towels needed, at least 3 per station.
I read about what the other members proposed and have a comment :
Beware about silicone lubes and Orings sets, either you can provide multiple sorts (like Ikelite transparent grease and black orings, Sea&sea grease adapted to blue oRings and Nauticam white grease to grey Orings) or you the very expensive one used for aeronautics and tech gears that will go with almost everything like Tribolube (Good luck). Putting the wrong silicone grease on certain O-rings leads to disaster. Been there done that.