A Fuji X-E2 lifestyle shoot - one model, one camera, one lens

This entire shooting was done with the Fuji X-E2 and a manual focus Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron lens, which is equivalent to 75mm on the Fuji APS-C sensor.  I used focus peaking all day to assist with the manual focusing and have to say I am really liking it. It is fast, convenient, and accurate. Most of these scenes are severely backlit, and to push the high key lighting effect I didn't use a front fill, but opened the exposure one more stop instead.  This really blasted out the background. focusing -- whether auto or manual -- is no picnic in a situation like this. I can barely see the details in the models face against the strong back light. No wonder most cameras have a problem in a situation such as this.

Backlighting is a tough situation for using an EVF finder.  Because there is a strong light from behind entering the camera, the finder is fooled by it and darkens the image in the EVF to compensate.  This leaves the main subject, the model's face, very dark making it extremely difficult to manually focus on it. Fortunately, the X cameras have a solution for this. On the Screen set-up menu there is a "Preview exposure in manual mode" with an ON/OFF option. Setting it to ON means the EVF/LDC brightness will correspond to the exposure setting in manual mode. This is very helpful in a situation like the one below because you can actually see when the correctly balanced exposure as you adjust the shutter speed or lens aperture with the camera in manual mode.

Of course in the very near future I won't have to use my 50mm Summicron as my main lifestyle lens because the Fuji 56mm f/1.2 will be available and do the same thing, but with auto focus. Can't wait.