Help with 5D 2 underexposing

I have always noticed that my camera usually under expose by about 1/3-1/2 stop but today while shooting in AV mode this is what I got. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This first picture was in AV mode 1/5000 at f2.8 ISO 500 150mm

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What metering mode are you using on these?

It looks like spot metering is on but with no EXIF I cant be sure. Spot metering will take a reading on only the active AF point(I think, maybe just the center). In the first shot your camera was pointing at his nose which has a bright(white) spot right in the center of the frame. With spot metering the camera would say "ok thats really bright I need to shoot a fast shutter speed". Your SS was 1/5000 so that would make sense. In your second photo that you shot in manual the center of the frame is on his dark hair so the camera will think the complete opposite and give you an exposure that would correctly expose black.

Just to get the obvious out of the way first, have you checked to see your exposure compensation in AV mode is set to 0?

second one is "brighter" but also blurred. At 150mm you should (rule of thumb) shoot at 1/150 sec or faster. Increase your ISO to get the exposure you want at the speed you want.

amirg wrote in post #14775458
Just to get the obvious out of the way first, have you checked to see your exposure compensation in AV mode is set to 0?

Thanks for response everyone. It's at -2.

How about when shooting in manual? Picture is exposed correctly and looks great on LCD but it's 1/3-1/2 darker on screen. My screen is calibrated using EyeOne.

Eel Noob wrote in post #14775500
Thanks for response everyone. It's at -2.

How about when shooting in manual? Picture is exposed correctly and looks great on LCD but it's 1/3-1/2 darker on screen. My screen is calibrated using EyeOne.

The camera's LCD screen is usually not a good indicator of the exposure (typically showing photos brighter). It's much better to use the histogram instead.

set it to 0. Your camera is not under exposing, you are.

amirg wrote in post #14775564
The camera's LCD screen is usually not a good indicator of the exposure (typically showing photos brighter). It's much better to use the histogram instead.

^--this definitely... the lcd on the 5d2 is WAAAY too good - I wish I had a photoshop plug in called "Make it look like it did on the lcd when you took it..." - would save a lot of shots, haha.

I had a similar period recently. I was at a local Owl and Falconry centre and mine played up just like the OP's. Half an hour later everything was operating normally again.

I've no idea what caused the problem or what changed to correct it. I blame the fact that digital cameras are electrical, its makes them prone to odd wobbles!

My old 30D used to have odd moments when it would simply mess me about for the sheer hell of it.

The 5D2's spot meter only works on the center point. Same with all non-1D cameras, I think.