I’m play testing a 105mm Nikkor macro lens this weekend. It’s got the anti-vibration technology that my Marco lacks. It makes a big difference on handheld shots. 
I would love to own one, but at about $1k, it is hard to justify. I shot redneck George Washington and the Chinese oppressor from about 3 inches using a desk light. I’m happy with the results.
I made the mistake of not getting the sensor plane perpendicular to the subject on the photo of the geisha. The top and the bottom are slightly out of focus. It is hard to see the problem when shooting but show up easily in post production.
While shooting outside, I was impressed with the stability of the lens, but not with its weight. It reminded me of shooting my pistol at the range. After running a few clips, I start to shake from fatigue. The same holds true with this heavyweight macro. The leaf was one of my last shots. I had to crop down the image to remove some bad blur caused by my unsteady hand.
I’ve got a ring flash and light cube lined up for next weekend. I plan to geek out.
