I'd like to hear your ideas on camera tables?!

MikeVeitch · January 4, 2005

Hey folks,

I am currently designing and building six new dedicated camera tables here at MRBH, Yap. And i thought that as you are all photogs and have been around the world that you may like to give me some ideas of what you would like to see on a camera table. This is your chance to get in on the design! Just what you've always wanted...

At the moment i am adding a flexible light, air guns, a locking cabinet for the goodies, and a padded countertop with a lot of shelves, plus 220 and 110 volt power outlets.

What else would everyone like to see on a work station?

Also, on the other side we will have some computers with internet access and Photoshop, cardreaders and burners.

Let me know what you think. I would like to have the best designed camera tables in the entire Pacific!!

Mike

segal3 · January 4, 2005

Air guns? Are people just not willing to take the time to towel off their rigs?

~Matt Segal

davephdv · January 4, 2005

Air gun - no. I've been told to not use them. I've seen people blow dirt under their O rings using them.

Some sort of bunge cord or webbing system to secure your camera in heavy weather. I can't sleep at night if I don't know my camera is secured.

Individual stations so don't have to fight for space for my camera and no one will put their camera on top of mine or move it.

The real key though is a rinse tank where no one will put their camera on top of mine and a crew that knows how to put the camera in it properly. If I can't do it myself.

Alex_Mustard · January 4, 2005

Mike, you seem to have most things covered.

One thing I would add is good lighting and solid coloured surfaces - so that people can find nuts, small o rings etc when they drop them!

Also padded counter tops tend to deteriorate very quickly when they are getting wet cameras dumped on them three times a day in the tropics. If you could make these removable and washable it would be good.

Alex

Oh, and some sort of mosquito protection. One problem I often find about working in damp camera rooms in the tropics in that they have the highest concentration of mozzies this side of a rainforest!

kdietz · January 4, 2005

Wakatobi had the best dedicated camera room I've ever seen.....A/C plus wall mounted fans....very good lighing at each work station....plenty of plugs....lots of clean towels....open storage below for extra camera gear, containers, etc.....hard countertops were easy to clean....everyone used towels to cushion the cameras.....I carry two pieces of cut in half wetsuit vests for pads...front and back pieces....works great and adds to cushioning in luggage

Excellent camera only rinse tanks and drying racks outside with low pressure air

pmooney · January 4, 2005

Consider using industrial grade flooring vinyl ( the type found on hospital floors ) as an insert for you table tops. It is available in many colours , is fairly soft ,easily replaceable , wipes clean and doesn't break the bank.

Save every one's chargers and filter the power.

Remember it's not just a 110 volt world.

Provide at least 6 filtered power points per workstation.

Peter

james · January 4, 2005

I like all the good ideas so far.

I would look to keep the "electric stuff" and the "wet stuff" separated in some way. Most of the camera tables I have used have wet cameras straight from the rinse tank dumped on them and I wouldn't want any chargers, computers, or other devices in the area. I would suggest a "wet lab" outside the house and a "dry lab" inside. Confine chargers, computers, card readers, etc to the dry area.

Cheers

James

chrism · January 4, 2005

All good suggestions so far. I also now use a towel to dry the housing, not an air gun,. although I have no problem with a low pressure one.

Also a great idea to keep a separate charging station away from the table.

I'm sure things have changed since Dec 03 post typhoon when I was there, but they need a much bigger rinse tank (i.e., not just the sink)

Since you're land based, having separate, assigned workstations for the time people are there would be sweet. It's not a big deal, but it's nice to know there's a spot for the camera, rather than fighting for it on the table.

And make sure Frannie keeps her fur away from it :-)

Chris

(PS, was just on the Carib Explorer in Saba and someone brought Advanced Diver Magazine with Mike Veitch emblazoned on the cover - nice spread!)

SeaDogDiver · January 4, 2005

Mike,

Clearly there are a lot of great ideas here, and it sounds like you have most of them well covered.

Although this is more of a comment than a suggestion, one of the things I have noticed (especially on liveaboards) is that photogs often use the primary camera table as a storage area for gear that is not being actively used. As a result, it is sometimes a challenge to find some working space for lens, media/film changes or even just camera prep etc.

I think the answer is that storage area you mentioned, or at least having another shelf or two for stored camera gear as opposed to everyone keeping their equipment on the "working" surface.

Cheers,

Sieg

..........and can we arrange electric shock for those divers that continue to rinse their dive gear in the camera bucket?? Unfilter power is fine for that application :shock:

Kelpfish · January 5, 2005

Sometimes when working on a system, there are multiple things to do, ie. dissassemble strobes and charge, remove ports and clean o-rings, change lenses, troubleshoot, etc. Two things I really like and use at home is a table mounted magnifier (from Staples) with built in lighting (so us old farts can see the grit, hair, etc. that on the o-rings and grooves) and intricate electronics. This is REALLY helpful if you are having camera or housing problems other than normal maintenance and need to see the nitty gritty. And since camera work encompasses multi-tasking, I would also like to small railed shelves around the perimeter of the work station to allow my strobes to be removed from the work table while charging, getting them up and snug while I work on other stuff. Too much crap on the table is frustrating. Once my port in cleaned and greased, can I hang it is a clean area? until I get the housing ready? And room or a small flat container to to lay out tools. Somewhere safe and dry on the shelving to place my digi cam while I do all of the other maintenance work would be helpful too.

Just my .05 cents.....I am so broke I don;t have 2 cents anymore.

Joe

frogfish · January 5, 2005

(1) Good light at each work station is critically important. Something mounted on an adjustable swivelling arm like a good desk lamp. (The worst thing about resort diving, in my view, is that many places you end up staying were designed for honeymooners (or dirty weekenders). There might be a desk or table, but even if there is, there won't be good light to work under.)

(2) If standup workspace (a la Pelagian), in which case a thick rubber mat or equivalent for easy long standing. Not carpeting - something that cleans easily. If sit-down workspace,, then good well designed chairs. In both cases, getting the height of the workspace (and positioning of working light) right is important. Some of us photographers are getting old, and either have back problems or soon will - after shlepping housings and all heavy items in hand carry bags through mile-long airports a few more times.

(3) Something soft and cushiony on work surface that protects against scarring ports etc., and helps insure that housings and other items left on table don't take off if the sea kicks up. Towels work, but what I've found best are... spongey rubbery dinner mats.

The ones I use are made of a spongey plastic mesh. I originally bought in a yacht place for my boat. They designed to keep plates on a table at sea. I can't remembver the brand name, but I've seen them everywhere. They are soft, grip any smooth surface well, keep cameras and the like from flying around, clean easily. (I carry them in the top of my Pelican case, sandwiching all the big o-rings and spares (in plastic bags) between the dinner mats and the pick foam.) Come in choice of colors. Green is a good choice - not to hard on the eyes working for long periods under bright light, and it's easy to find both dark and light colored items dropped or placed on it.

(4) If possible, secure storage (cupboard, etc.) below the work space for unused ports, arm segments, lenses, etc. Helps keep the working surface uncluttered, and better than having to fetch and replace unused ports, lenses, bits and pieces in a small, shared cabins. If you really want to impress me, put a small light inside so I can see what's what instead of having to use my dive light.

(5) I think DavePh may have somewhat overstated the case against airguns. Shop-powered air guns are clearly overkill, but air is good. Medium-powered air can safely be used to blow ALL the water off the outside of a housing, which can be better and faster than drying with fabric or air drying. Low-powered air is useful for blowing particles of dust off lenses etc. I use a can of compressed gas at home, and carry a small can of compressed gas on every trip.

(6) I'm with DavePh all the way on bungie or webbing system to keep things in place when you're not there. I carry my own. If it's bungies, this also means hooks or eyes to attach them to.

(7) I agree with James that a single charging area separate from the individual working areas, with plenty of 110 and 220 power points, is probably best.

Frogfish

frogfish · January 5, 2005