No AF Motor In Camera Explanation? Nikon D5600 for a Beginner? Help Please

TheVirtuoso · Mar 18, 2017

Hello,

I am a total newcomer to photography and I wanted a long lasting DSLR before diving right into it. I ordered the Nikon 5600 from Amazon but I just found out it doesn't have an AF motor. It sounds bad but I still don't know the disadvantages. Could someone explain it to me?

What does the AF motor exactly do? Is that the focus thingy that activated when you just so slightly click the shutter button but not press it fully? Will I have to buy different lenses because of this?

Nikon D5600: Amazon.com: Nikon D5600 24.2 MP DSLR Camera + AF-P DX 18-55mm & 70-300mm NIKKOR Zoom Lens Kit + Accessory Bundle: Computers & Accessories

Now that's the one I ordered but I also wanted a 50mm lens. I found these two:

Nikon AF FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D Lens with Auto Focus: Amazon.com : Nikon AF FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras : Digital Slr Camera Lenses : Camera & Photo

Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Lens with Auto Focus: Amazon.com : Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras : Digital Slr Camera Lenses : Camera & Photo

They seem the same to me but they still have a $90 price difference. Wich one should I get if my camera doesn't have an AF motor?

Without the AF motor what will change? Will I have to manually focus every shot? I heard that some lenses have a motor inside of them? So what happens if you buy a lens with no AF motor into a body without an AF motor? Does everything still work? So many questions, so little answers. Please Help me out.

Thank You!

KmH · Mar 18, 2017

The D5600 Reference Manual has a chart that shows all the lenses compatible with the D5600. There are a boatload of lenses that have the AF motor in the lens that the D5600 can use that will AF (auto focus) with it.

Nikon's D3x00 and D5x00 series are 'compact', or smaller than normal, DSLRs.
The way Nikon made them compact was by not putting an auto focus motor and auto focus screw drive system in the cameras.
Nikon had already been putting an AF motor in their lenses, so there was already a good selection of lenses for the D3x00 & D5x00 series cameras.
Nikon wanted to make the cameras because their market research convinced them that is what women buyers wanted - a small DSLR.

None the less there is an extensive list of lenses, Nikon and 3rd party, that have the AF motor in the lens.
Older Nikon lenses didn't need to have an AF motor in the lens. So it's only those other lenses that would not AF on a D5600.

All the other of Nikon's current lineup have an AF motor and screw-drive system in them. When a lens that has an AF motor in the lens is mounted on one of those cameras the AF motor in the camera is not used.

None of Canon's cameras have had an auto focus motor in them since 1986.

TheVirtuoso · Mar 18, 2017

KmH said:
Nikon's D3x00 and D5x00 series are 'compact', or smaller than normal, DSLRs.
They way Nikon made them compact was by not putting an auto focus motor and auto focus screw drive system in the cameras.
Nikon wanted to make the cameras because their market research convinced them that is what women buyers wanted - a small DSLR.

None of Canon's cameras have an auto focus motor in them.

So I won't lose out on anything by getting this camera?

Derrel · Mar 18, 2017

There are many,many,many lenses that will autofocus with the Nikon D3000-series and the Nikon D5000-series camera model variants. The D5600 is a new, current Nikon compact d-slr, and has the swivel screen that so many people like. It's a popular camera, right in the middle of the entry level cameras, the D3400,D5600,D7200. It represents a good value in a compact camera, and is MUCH less costly than say a D610 or D750 or D810.

I think the D5xxx cameras offer the best bang-for-buck in the Nikon lineup, and the swivel screen is nice for low-angle shots. If my memory serves me correctly, the D5600 also has tap-to-focus on the rear LCD, which is a nice feature not found in lower-priced NOR in the very oldest D5000 series models. Having a rear touch screen is fairly new to Nikon d-slr cameras, and tap to focus is something Nikon has had for only a couple of years in d-slrs of the D5400 and newer model. A lot of people coming from phones and P&S digitials wanted a touch-screen rear LCD.

The sensor in the D5600 is very high-grade.

The D5400 can accept pre-Ai,Ai,and Ai-S manual focus lenses. Exposure and flash settings will ALL need to be made i n Manual mode, and ONLY in manual mode.

AF,AF-D lenses will mount and meter properly, but will not autofocus. Every shot will be focused manually, by the user. These are an okay compromise if you're on a budget, but again, manual-focusing only.

AF-S, AF-i, Sigma HSM, and other lenses with in-lens focus motors will automatically focus,and meter in all modes. Fully compatible! This is the type of lens that almost (95% or more) all F-mount lenses designed since 2000 are.

fmw · Mar 18, 2017

You want to choose lenses marked AF-S. These lenses have focusing motors. The S stands for Silent Wave, Nikon's marketing term for these motors. The main thing you lose with a 5000 series camera vs a 7000 series camera is the ability to use AF lenses without focusing motors. There are also problems with using some of the pre AF lenses if that matters to you.

KmH · Mar 18, 2017

The D3x00 and D5x00 series Nikon cameras have manual focusing aid electronics called Rangefinder mode that will turn on the In Focus indicator in the viewfinder when manual focus has been achieved at the selected AF point - as long as the lens on the camera is a CPU lens.
In other words, the only part of the AF system missing in the camera is the motor that drives the focus mechanism in the lens.