This is all very fascinating. Thus far I have just used an Olympus OMD-EM1 with a 60 mm macro lens, which links to firmware in the camera that gives about 10 slices (higher numbers are possible). This allows taking pictures in the field, e.g. of snails on rocky shores that are usually in the depth-of-field torture zone. But I would love to graduate to take pictures of larger things like dragon flies - have seen web descriptions of pix of them at 5 cm depth.
Thanks for your description.
Jeff

Am I correct in thinking that the depth of this photo is ca. 7.5 mm?
Thanks for a spectacular photo.
Jeff

This was the last colorful weekend to view the Bear Mountain region of the Hudson from Anthony's Nose, a well known viewpoint.

I fully endorse the dual strategy of a good on-land camera (the one you have) coupled with an underwater point and shoot (there are lots of cool opportunities if you snorkel). The Oly TG-6 is widely admired - see reviews and descriptions in Blue Water Camera or Backscatter Camera. There are many water proof and cushioned plastic carry bags that work well but have the disadvantage of some bulk.

I fully endorse the dual strategy of a good on-land camera (the one you have) coupled with an underwater point and shoot (there are lots of cool opportunities if you snorkel). The Oly TG-6 is widely admired - see reviews and descriptions in Blue Water Camera or Backscatter Camera. There are many water proof and cushioned plastic carry bags that work well but have the disadvantage of some bulk.

The dry season in the rainforest areas is later in November to April. On the Pacific Coast, it may rain every day but rain showers are often confined to very late afternoon, so a lot of the day is dry. In some rainforest areas, going during the rainy season is not only, well, rainy, but also challenging for remote hikes because of rapidly rising streams, which can be dangerous unless you have advice. The Caribbean coast is a bit drier during the rainy season. Bottom line: Costa Rica does have a high tourist season (Nov-April) but it has an interior and two coasts and lots of vertical relief - so you need to know where you are going and the local microclimate. A magnificent place.

This may be a bit of an obfuscation, but maybe the real problem is trying to catch that sun as it descends below the horizon. Unless there is diffusive water vapor, such a picture can be overwhelming with rapidly changing sunlight - perhaps thwarting your camera's sensor and autofocus (please don't use autofocus on sunsets anyway). A number of years ago I was taking such a sunset picture and next to me was a gentleman who happened to be on my island to take his last photograph in his collection of lighthouses on the Pacific coast. Quite an achievement. But he also introduced me to the art of waiting. He felt that sunsets were ok, but not as lovely as the diffuse, usually reddish light that succeeds the moment the fireball disappears below the horizon. I stayed with him for two hours and saw what he meant - photographs were simply lovely but subtle - and yet it was still "sunset". Reminds me of the brilliant paintings by Frederick Church after sunset, with red reflecting from the clouds in the Hudson Valley.
Jeff

I am wondering what the general feeling is about the Luminar photo editing program. I generally use photoshop and specifically the camera raw filter. Getting a bit tired about my monthly subscription bill and wonder if Luminar or another editor is the answer. Very much appreciate your input.
Jeff

i have had an X-T3 for several months, following ownership of an X100F. The X-T3 is a great camera, and I especially like the dynamic range. I never knew how to photograph a black dog until learning how to use a camera like this in combination with a good filter (e.g., the camera raw filter in Photoshop). The 80 mm Fujimacrolens is simply superb, as is the 16mm, which simply heavenly and can operate like a macrolens. Like all cameras though, the devil is in the details. My other mirrorless is an Olympus OMD EM1ii and I very much like the firmware that has focusing layers (up to 10) that allows magnificent depth of field for macrowork (try to take a better photo of a snail!) The Oly 60mm macro also is no slouch. I also have a great affection for the Olympus 12-100 professional lens. A real beaut with no effective match in Fuji land. So like many, I love Fuji but still hold on to my Olympus and also my Nikon DSLR, if only for the REALLY long battery life for so many more exposures.

This is a fully paved road to Hana if you come from the north. The lava tube caves near Hana are very cool and interesting for photography. It is easy to stop by the iconic falls, but mostly the road is very curvy, crossing numerous small bridges, every turn a lovely sight. Once you get to Hana, you have the issue of continuing onward along a sandy and sometimes muddy road back along the SW side of the island, or returning back along a very curvy paved road (the way you came). We went the sandy route and it turned out fine but we were concerned a lot of the way.
Watching the surfing teens on the north shore is really a great sight. Eat at Mama's Fish House - a tourist joint but really has good food and fun. And if you can, climb the mountain road to Haleakala and see the amazing view below to the crater (spectacular landscape for photographs) and the silverswords at the top. Before any of this, think of a whale watching trip to the greatest humpback whale location in the world near Lahaina. Too much for a two day trip. You will have to come back.

I have taken lots of Orca shots and some humpback shots. Keep in mind that the boat must stay a rather large distance from the whales, at least in US and Canadian waters. Therefore you need the longest lens you can usually muster. I have a 400 mm equivalent and this works well for Orcas. If you have the ability to do multiple shots (e.g., 10 shots in a second) and have a quick trigger finger this will help sometimes in getting that exact pose; otherwise your one shot will miss and get the whale as it submerges. Establishing a useful F stop and high speed (at least 1/250th sec) by manual setting will also help. Good thing is that you usually have lots of daylight. The only problem here is that sometimes fun things like dolphins come close to the boat, and you are set up for a distance shot (problem I encountered in CA whale watch for blue whales - no blue whales but lots of dolphin antics). Often useful to have a second camera (even a pocket camera) for that. A final rec: if you can have a backdrop, that can greatly increase the quality of a photo, e.g., a mountain, or rugged coastline. Also good to be aware of behaviors that make for good photos: e.g., spyhopping, tail slap, etc.

A whistful reply: but I have had great fun taking photos of people looking at knives at the Gatlinburg knife store (biggest in the world, they claim). An amazing array
and shooting a good old boy fondling a samurai sword is a great shot. I guess you don't want to get such a person mad for being photographed, what with the sharp edges and all.

I favor the Samson tripods, e.g. model 7301 with 7201 head. These are available on EBAY for often <$100 and are very solid but not exactly backpackable. There are also dolly models but have not tried them.