It is not only Canon. 12% is the ANSI standard and 12% grey after 2.2 gamma correction is around 40% on the histogram. So if when shooting a blank wall that is where the spike is your camera is exposing CORRECTLY and it is only those who are still living in 1950 that call it under. Nor is this a new development, here is a blog from ten years ago that is worth reading:
http://www.bythom.com/graycards.htm![]()

