As the trend of cycles recircle back to the 90s, Gen Z’s new favorite gadget offers a nostalgic charm and unique aesthetic reminiscent of a period of time where being a “screenager” wasn’t a part of everyday life. The revival of the digital camera has proved that sometimes, even old is new again.
Following the initial discovery, the invention of the digital camera soon skyrocketed into markets with the Dycam Model 1, the first consumer model, being released in 1990 with improvements such as internal memory components and LCD screens soon trailing after. While the release of the smartphone’s sense of effortlessness in everyday photography quickly outweighed the use of the digital camera, the retro feeling the digital camera offers is a feat that the modernity of the camera app can not replicate.
“I prefer the aesthetic and look of the digital camera. I think photos taken on digital cameras can be more meaningful because it usually isn’t the default,” senior Scarlett Gibson said.
In addition to the old-timey look, digital cameras also provide a break from screens and give an impression of authenticity on social media. The hashtag “digitalcamera” on Tiktok has even racked up a total of 203.4k posts under it and users have reported difficulties in purchasing certain models online as a result.
This spike of popularity has inspired many to see the value of owning a digital camera: “I used to go to camp without a phone and I only knew [few] people with digital cameras …” sophomore Avi Coleman said. “But ever since it has become more trendy to have a digital camera, almost everyone has one.”
Despite the digital camera’s resurgence among Gen Z, new innovations began to drop off by the mid 2000s, as smartphones offered a more compact and convenientphotography experience. For junior Thomas Ferguson who recently acquired the original version of the Black Magic Pocket Cinema, his biggest problem has been with the battery life.
“It’s kind of difficult to work with because the battery dies in 10 minutes and it’s not great. I want to get a new one but they’re very expensive,” he said.
Regardless, in comparison to a smartphone camera, Ferguson still prefers to use a digital camera for its quality and has a work-around, stating that he keeps a battery pack on deck at all times.
Although the comeback of digital cameras among Gen Z began as a trend, these retro devices elicit a feeling of nostalgia within the grainy finish and orange timestamp on every photo that the modernity of a smartphone is unable to capture. Beyond the vintage allure, the refreshing break from phone screens and versatility digital cameras provide ensure that this trend is likely to stick around for the foreseeable future.
