Any tips on working with a manual focus lens for Nikon d40?

I just bought a Tokina 11-16mm lens for my Nikon d40 and it doesn't allow auto focus, only manual focus. Any tips on how I could make sure my subject is focused properly? Is there a certain mode I should be on? I will be mostly photographing landscape and architecture.

Use a tripod.helps keep the subject in focus as well as when using other effects such as shutter speed to maintain a clear picture

There's no mode setting to use… Not for this.

It's difficult at best to focus manually with a dslr because there's no viewfinder reference point.

All you can do is make sure your diopter is set correctly for your vision and watch the subject very closely in the view finder.

As far as I know, Nikon has focus confirmation. When the subject is in focus, whether you use autofocus or manual, there's a dot or circle that appears in the viewfinder. Set focus point to single at center only to make it as easy as possible. Hold the shutter button halfway as you focus. When the dot appears, frame then shoot.

Look on page 28 of your user manual.

It discusses the fine electronic range finder in the viewfinder

At the lower left side of the viewfinder, you can find a green dot if you press the shutter button half way as in focusing using AF. The green dot appears and steady when the subject is in focus.

Tripod/Monopod/beanbag: Just anything that offers you stability really

Take your time to learn to focus manually, it takes time but what I use even with my automatic lenses is the "sea saw" method. You go over the focus then back under then back over ever small adjustments Then one day you just "feel" the lens and have to do allot less adjustments.

For the rest shooting landscape the huge DOF the small aperture gives you doesn't gives you allot to worry about
For shooting buildings mmm yeah.well after a while you begin to learn to do the "sniper" effect. After a while you simply feel the lens feel the body are one with the moment and are able to get it just right. It takes time.

I have an AF lens that I mostly has on Manual, I shoot my pictures mostly manual with it. In the begin that made it slower yes but now I'm quick. I have the focus where I desire.

If you do landscapes you need something like a beanbag or a mono/tripod anyway. Longer Exposure times due to smaller aperture.

Manual Focusing becomes something you have to get feeling with. Photography truly can become an art on itself. As in watching a good photographer do his/her thing. They just know what to do the only way to do that. Is doing it yourself.

Most fun part about the manual focusing. Is the freeze. The way you learn to freeze your movements and go for it like a sniper.

You learn it it will go wrong a few times but you'll learn it. And using smaller Apertures obviously makes it easier to