R5 underexposing with auto ISO in otherwise Manual mode?

[SwissFrank]

Just in boring photos around the house I see the camera using like the bottom 70% of the brightness, when it's in Manual but with ISO set to Auto. I've tried setting comp at +1/3 stop but would probably need more like 1 2/3 stop to correct the issue. Even with +1/3 it is often using pixel values like 0..210 or something, missing the top 20% of values. I just adjust levels in Photoshop but still the result looks just a little dead.

I have bad eyes and have a hard time reading the manual, but I can't think what camera setting it could be.

 

[koenkooi]

Which metering mode is it in, evaluative?

 

[Kit.]

5D?

I thought it had no auto-ISO in Manual (ISO 400 was used instead).

 

[SwissFrank]

5D?

I thought it had no auto-ISO in Manual (ISO 400 was used instead).

I have NO IDEA how the subject became 5D. I meant R5!

 

[SwissFrank]

Which metering mode is it in, evaluative?

I don't know why the topic was "5D", I meant "R5." And yes, evaluative. I can understand if the camera wants to have some headroom so the whites don't blow out, but there's no shadow detail. (This is the JPG from the camera, I don't shoot raw for around-the-house photos.) Looking through the menus for clues, I see Expo.Comp./AEB is +1/3, HDR off, Auto Lighting off, Highlight Tone Priority off, anti-flicker disable.

 

[neuroanatomist]

The R3 offers an AE Microadjustment setting that lets you adjust the auto exposure by up to 1 stop in 1/8-stop increments. Looks like the R5 does not have that feature (with DSLRs, it was 1-series only).

 

[Kit.]

but there's no shadow detail. (This is the JPG from the camera, I don't shoot raw for around-the-house photos.)

Which picture style are you using? Standard?

Maybe try to reduce its contrast or use Neutral or Faithful?