I started to explore other technique ever since, and one of my favorite is reversed lens. Reversed adapter ring was quite difficult to get. The only way I found is to buy at Adorama, which for quite a cheap good, shipping cost and custom bill would exceed the price of the purchase itself. Luckily someone responded to my post on a local online forum. I got a Nikon lens reversed adapter BR2A for about $25, delivered to my door. Used, but in good shape. It even still had its box and user instruction sheet.

• Trying all suitable lenses I have, which are 35mm F2.8 AI-S, 50mm F1.2AI, AF 50mm F1.4, and AF-S 18-55mm F4.5-5.6G IF-ED, I finally get the perfect pair, AF 50mm F1.4. Benefit of this setup are:
• This light and short setup gave all convenience I need on the field.
• Magnification ratio was fixed at 1.1 life-size, which was a bit higher than dedicated macro lens.
• Nikon’s optical excellence.
• With maximum aperture of F1.4, it gives better light and DOF control over dedicated macro lens.
• And finally, cheap. With a lens which I already had, it only took $30 out of my wallet. Definitely not comparable to even the cheapest, oldest, dedicated macro lens.

The only negative I could see was manual focus. But I personally did not see it as negative anyway. With my Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX, I almost never use AF. In almost all cases, I set it to manual focus, drag to the highest magnification , and focus only by moving the camera back and forward before pressing the shutter down. It was exactly the same way I had to do with reversed-lens setup.

When higher precision or slower speed needed, I would lock the setup in macro focusing rail. There many brands available. I use Super-Mag Slider from Velbon.