It's true that great images were made before we had the technology we have now. I used to shoot motorcycle racing with ISO 100 slide film and a manual focus camera. It's also true that content should always come first. But neither of those things mean we should ignore the benefits of current technology. We definitely shouldn't get so caught up in camera features and specs that we lose sight of the goal (great photos). In the end the camera is just a tool for capturing pictures and the photographer is in charge. But if I follow your logic I will have to give up my car for a donkey cart. I like being able to cover some ground in a day - both with my camera and with my car.

A couple more points -

1) Sometimes one stop is the difference between a sharp photo and a soft one. I want every advantage.

2) A tripod doesn't freeze action

Thanks for your post. In case it isn't apparent, I like your message and point of view. But so far it seems it's my job to play devil's advocate in this thread