"But what doesn't change for me is the creative thinking process to making great compositions, capturing the right moment and knowing a thing or two about exposure and lighting along the way".

Compensating for the limitations of older cameras will/can make you think about the photo process a little more The most important part of the process is our Brains

In your first post Ron you should have defined what camera you are talking about. New AI software, Topaz is my experience, can take a significantly cropped JPEG from my 2000 Kodak DC4800 that if shot raw is 3.1 mp and make it clean and sharp. Then treated with Topaz Gigapixel increases the resolution so that a large photo can be printed.

In your case Mirrorless cameras are not that old perhaps 2010 so is at least 10+ mpix and will become great in post-processing.

If upgrading, consider one of the 1" Superzoom pocket cameras. They do more tricks than Houdini and they are there when the image subject presents its self.

This might sound familiar to a few UHHer’s.
Often, or more like once in a while, I’ll take one of my “older” smaller mirrorless cameras (+/- 12MP, 2/3”-1/1.7” sensor) out for a shoot. A personal challenge, and when I do it…..there are a few things of note:
• The difference in size, weight, grip and familiar feel in my hand…..invokes nostalgia…..(a good thing)
• It takes me a few minutes to recall how to adjust the settings and functions….or finding and experimenting with ones I rarely or never used.
• Composing through an older/different OVF, EVF or optical tunnel requires a different level of concentration; and seeing a different presentation of exposure information is inspiring.
• Pressing the shutter, I really notice how fast or slow the functions (auto-focus, metering, FPS, and recording) are presented and perform between shots.
• THEN, I’m back in the zone……remembering how fun and simple all this was, my high expectations…and how wonderfully gratifying the results were (and still are) when the camera was “younger. (Note….I don’t remember my film days being as enjoyable).
• Finally, I remember the temporary (and expensive) remedy for my last serious GAS attack (newer cameras), which caused me to have a class of “older cameras”.
No regrets…... and sometimes the “old camera/old gear” experience helps delay the next GAS attack…….(maybe?
It’s) all good……and keep shooting!

This might sound familiar to a few UHHer’s.
Often, or more like once in a while, I’ll take one of my “older” smaller mirrorless cameras (+/- 12MP, 2/3”-1/1.7” sensor) out for a shoot. A personal challenge, and when I do it…..there are a few things of note:
• The difference in size, weight, grip and familiar feel in my hand…..invokes nostalgia…..(a good thing)
• It takes me a few minutes to recall how to adjust the settings and functions….or finding and experimenting with ones I rarely or never used.
• Composing through an older/different OVF, EVF or optical tunnel requires a different level of concentration; and seeing a different presentation of exposure information is inspiring.
• Pressing the shutter, I really notice how fast or slow the functions (auto-focus, metering, FPS, and recording) are presented and perform between shots.
• THEN, I’m back in the zone……remembering how fun and simple all this was, my high expectations…and how wonderfully gratifying the results were (and still are) when the camera was “younger. (Note….I don’t remember my film days being as enjoyable).
• Finally, I remember the temporary (and expensive) remedy for my last serious GAS attack (newer cameras), which caused me to have a class of “older cameras”.
No regrets…... and sometimes the “old camera/old gear” experience helps delay the next GAS attack…….(maybe?
It’s) all good……and keep shooting!

I am STILL USING some of my "Legacy" 📷 cameras from over a decade ago. I was an active Film photographer up until the end of the last century when Film & Developing became scarce.
I then "Settled For" some of the 3 mp Kodak pocket cameras.
While I have "Graduated" to a gently used Nikon D3100, I still enjoy my latest collection of (now) 12 mp pocket cameras with 5 & 10X lenses.
[Also my Samsung S21 5G with the awesome telephoto]

All are equally enjoyable to me.

When I go from teaching my Digital Photography or Photojournalism classes and teach my 35mm B&W film class I get an instant return to the beginnings of my professional career, decades ago. It is a revelation about how far the gear and gear experience has changed.

But what doesn't change for me is the creative thinking process to making great compositions, capturing the right moment and knowing a thing or two about exposure and lighting along the way. And the anticipation and anxiety of having to wait until the film is developed and those negatives are on the light table to see what you have, is a great pause for both me and my university students in our world of instant image gratification.

I am happy to exist in both worlds of photography, on the cutting edge of the best of the latest tech, but also still having my hands on teaching, preserving and passing on first-hand the history of photography, and exposing young creative minds to another "new" creative medium.

And amazingly after weeks of their struggles and learning curves with the cameras, film, developing and printing processes, most of my 35mm B&W film class students come to embrace it as a "cool" thing by the end of the semester. And many then buy their own used SLR or rangefinder film cameras to add to their favorite smartphones.

Personally I still have a one of my old SLRs a Canon F1, and one of my old DSLRs a Nikon D3, but I have sold all my other DSLRs and earlier mirrorless cameras as I upgraded to better performing mirrorless models for my professional and personal work. I still get to use some older model DLSR and mirrorless cameras that we have in the university camera/lens kits for use by our photo students. I have to keep up with how they all work to help my students learn how to master the use of them.

Cheers and best to you all.