DX format questions

[zoomermel]

I have done some research, but still do not understand fully.

I have a Nikon D40x. I know my lenses have to be DX format in order to hookup. I have read several of you say that the focus mechanism is within the lens and the camera does not have a motor. If I want to upgrade my camera with minimal cost, what would be the next DX format camera I should get? I am very interest in getting the 35mm f/1.8 lens, but I also would like to upgrade.

I would like to eventually become good enough to shoot events and make some money off of photography, where would be a good place to start? (besides taking lots of pictures and practice)

[KenJulio]

If you are staying with the camera body, such as the d40 family, you'll need to find a nikon lens which has a af-s designation. Any of those lenses will work on the D40, it doesnt matter if it's for a FX or DX camera.

[zoomermel]

Wow, did I read it all wrong or what?

After a bit more time on the great WIKI, let me restate my question.

If I want to upgrade my D40X, what would be the camera to upgrade to so I do not have to buy lenses. The D40X requires the lenses to have their own focus motor, AF. Will these lenses work on say..... the D90? Or will I have to upgrade body and lenses?

[DougC]

D90 woud be the next upgrade as of right now.

[ggeen]

So, a little clarification. In Nikon's more introductory body line, the camera body does not have a focusing motor. This is the case with the D40. As you progress up the Nikon line the bodies include focusing motors. You may use your existing lenses in any DX body and, for that matter, in the FX body line as well. On an FX body, the camera is supposed to sense the DX lense and shoot in DX mode.

Lenses marked with the designation, AF-S, include a focusing motor internally that uses the Silent Wave technology.

Check out Nikon's Learn and Explore technical section for a primer on their lenses.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by DougC

D90 woud be the next upgrade as of right now.

A real upgrade would be an F3 camera and manual focus 24-50-105 lenses.

[tertius]

Wayne - If you are going to go that route, why not F6?

To the OP.

The D90 would be the one to get right now. It has the internal focus motor, so you can use the AF and AF-S lenses. Since the release of the D7000, the D90 has come down a little bit and is still a great camera. It will do everything that you need it to do and then some for quite a large portion of the learning curve.

The lenses that you have that work on the D40 family will work on the D90 (but with better results).

Any other questions?

[venchka]

Originally Posted by tertius

Wayne - If you are going to go that route, why not F6?

...

Any other questions?

A. It works. Now. Next decade. Next lifetime. You could buy several F3s and/or lenses for the price of an F6.
B. The pre-auto everyhing lenses were built better.
C. 105mm/2.5 Sonnar and 105mm/1.8.
D. The F6 is big, heavy, huge by comparison.
E. Fm or Fm2 would be a close second. Or first if size is a concern.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[ualymerej]

so to give a more clear and direct answer to your question, if all the lenses you have right now auto focused on your D40x, they will auto focus on any of the nikon dSLR cameras. The DX label doesn't mean anything in terms of the auto focus capability; it just happens that all the DX lenses have built in auto focus motors.

You'll be safe upgrading to pretty much any nikon dSLR, but I do agree with everyone else that the D90 would be a worthy upgrade.