An input apparatus, in particular a joystick, has an operating device, a magnetorheological braking device, and a control device for actuating the braking device. The operating device has a support and an operating lever that is pivotable about at least one pivot axis. A sensor senses a pivot angle of the operating lever. The braking device is coupled to the pivot axis in order to damp, in a controlled manner by way of the control device, a pivot movement of the operating lever. The control device actuates the braking device depending on a control command and converts the control command into a haptic signal, preferably a defined sequence of deceleration torques, which can be perceived on the operating lever. A user, as a result of an input made, can receive haptic feedback (so-called force feedback).