Does a Nikon body’s built-in AF motor matter, or is an in-lens motor enough?
Asked 6/28/2011
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I’m considering a Nikon D5100 and noticed it does not have a built-in autofocus motor, while the Nikon D90 does. I understand that the D5100 relies on lenses with their own autofocus motors.
What are the main advantages and disadvantages of a camera body with an internal AF motor versus relying on the motor in the lens? Does this affect image quality, or mainly lens compatibility and autofocus behavior?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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Most significant difference is that lenses without built-in focusing motor (all except AF-S and AF-I) can only be used with manual focus when neither body or lens has motor for AF. While newer lenses tend to be AF-S and therefore auto-focusing, there are still many older ones around.
Other differences are already discussed in another question.
Originally by user4390. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4390
15y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The main practical difference is lens compatibility for autofocus.
A body with a built-in AF motor, like the D90, can autofocus older Nikon AF lenses that do not have their own motor. A body without one, like the D5100, will only autofocus with lenses that include an internal focus motor; with older non-motorized AF lenses, you’ll have manual focus only.
In-lens AF motors are often faster and quieter than body-driven autofocus, but the lenses can be a bit larger and more expensive.
This does not directly affect image quality. The camera body motor versus lens motor mainly changes:
- which lenses will autofocus
- how fast or quiet focusing may be
- your lens options, especially if buying older used Nikon lenses
So yes, it matters if you want broad compatibility with older Nikon autofocus lenses. If you plan to use modern Nikon lenses with built-in AF motors, the lack of a body motor is usually less important.
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