Nikon 50mm 1.8E vs 35mm 1.8 DX light admittance?

I have a Nikon D40 and I would like to get a faster lens. I know the E would require fully manual operation on my camera, but they can be had for 1/4-1/3 the cost of the DX. My question is, when using the 50mm E on my camera with its cropped sensor, will it admit as much light as would the 35mm DX?

Yes… But just get the 35. If you buy the 50 AIS, you'll also have to buy a light meter, which will set you back a few hundred bucks…

Yes, that's what f1.8 means. The 50mm is a short telephoto lens on this format, though, rather than the standard lens you may be looking for.

Same, because both lenses have the same f/1.8 aperture. I say get the 35mm f1.8 (even used) because it allows for autofocus and auto-metering. With the older 50mm f1.8, you'll need to both manually focus and set your exposure manually using a guess and check method, which means lots of lost opportunities if you're always focusing on your settings rather than shooting pictures.