[Class A]

[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1290849853' post='4488']

I'm already discussing with him under the hood.

[/quote]

Good!



[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1290849853' post='4488']A USM of 0.5 produces sharpening halos and increased noise as well as reduced (unrecoverable) micro contrast.

[/quote]

Whether or not halos are created depends on the strengths of the sharpening. The introduction of noise can be controlled by using appropriate threshold values. USM should increase micro contrast, not decrease it. Hence, appropriate capture sharpening should not do any of the things you describe but only compensate the round shoulders of a step response.



[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1290849853' post='4488']

This is hardly a non-lossy approach and whether this is any better than a rare false color pattern (of a weak AA filter) is debatable.

[/quote]

In a pragmatic sense, yes, but I don't think in an information theoretic sense.



[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1290849853' post='4488']

It is, of course, a matter of taste whether you'd like to go left or right here.

[/quote]

Again, I'm not convinced it is a matter of taste. I'm not convinced that an inappropriate AA filter strength provides an actual benefit (as opposed to a perceived one) for colour photography. Black and white scenes might be a different affair but are irrelevant outside lab conditions.



Neither am I convinced that your comparison between the K10D and the K-5 is adequate (even if restricted to B&W scenes). Hopefully your discussions with Falk will help illuminate this matter.