New lens for Nikkon d40 HELP!

[chip 'n dale rule]

I got a AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D today and I can not get it to auto focus. When I go into the camera menus it has MF selected but it is grayed out and it won't let me change it. I can manually focus but that's it. Any ideas??? I just got my D40 not too long ago so I am still working on figuring it out. TIA!

 

[Furgus]

I am pretty sure that lens will not focus on Auto Focus on the D40. It lacks the internal focus motor the D40 requires.

You need to find AF-S lenses if you want the auto focus to work.

That lens will still work great and give you some awesome photos, you just need to manual focus it.

 

[ukcatfan]

I'll back that post up. Not being able to AF that particular lens is IMO one of the main things holding the D40 and D40x back.

MF is not as tough as it seems. I used a MF 50mm for almost a year before getting an AF one.

Kevin

 

[handicap18]

This is correct. The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF lens will not auto focus on the Nikon D40 or D40x. These 2 camera bodies do not have focus motors in them. In order for lenses attached to these bodies to auto focus, they need to have the focus motors in the lens. This is designated by the AF-S in the title of the lens. If it just says AF, then that lens does not have a focus motor.

There are approximately 35-40 Nikkor lenses with the AF-S designation. There are also about 20 or so Sigma lenses with focus motors. Not sure about Tokina and Tamron.

Everything else will work fine with the 50mm f/1.8 on the D40 (ie: metering and aperture control), it just only becomes a manual focus lens.