Dating back to the late 1900s, teens utilized digital cameras, also known as digicams, as their main form of photography to capture unforgettable memories. After the modernization of the smartphone, digital cameras faded out of use until Generation Z (Gen Z) rekindled its flame. The resurgence of the digicam grew popular in summer 2023 ultimately stemming from nostalgia.
“I love that digital cameras are making a comeback; they add authenticity and a fun vibe to any event and they create a type of photo quality that a phone can’t capture. My camera is a Sony Cybershot from over 15 years ago but I don’t know the exact model. My grandma gave it to me after I mentioned wanting a digital camera and I’ve taken thousands of pictures since then,” magnet senior Leika Badstibner said.
Over the summer, photography lovers filmed their adventures on digital cameras to keep cherished memories alive, with a ‘90s touch through the camera’s original filter. Various digicams such as the Fujifilm X-T5 or the Nikon Zf provide retro looks to photos, adding a film-like appearance on each picture. The new aesthetic these pictures developed gained the attention of influencers who began to post their digicam images on social media. As all trends do, the uprise in digicam usage attracted social media influencers and swayed the minds of Genz Zers.
The aesthetics these photos produce have resulted in the rising purchases of digicams off of popular sites including eBay and Amazon — in hopes of finding cheap, used cameras. A majority of shoppers aim to buy their digicam off of a second hand website to find cameras supporting older models, for a deeper vintage style.
“I think [it’s] because of nostalgia. Digital cameras were used often to capture moments when we were kids and I think that the authentic camera quality of those old cameras helps remind us of our childhoods. And the early 2000s aesthetic that’s becoming more popular,” junior Amaris Carrion said.
As a person chooses what kind of camera equipment they wish to use for photos, individualism comes into play. Using smartphones to capture moments allows people to add filters and creative elements such as emojis to posts, leading to a sense of self expression. On the other hand, digicams enable users to take photos resulting in lower quality images but a greater range of visual effects such as time and date stamps, grainy and tinted effects.
Without a doubt, digicams continue to rise in popularity among teenagers after their significant decline in 2007 when Apple released their first iPhone. Now, Canon, FujiFilm and Sony, all notable names within the film industry, have introduced brand new camera lenses to aid photographers in producing fresh content. While professional cameras exist for photography experts, a myriad of teens stick to hand-me-down cameras from family members or the classic compact digital camera, for their day to day lives.
With the summer coming to a close, digicam aficionados reminisce on their travel adventures–all captured on such a precious item. Digicams now contribute to the average person’s Instagram account after uplifting events, concerts or enjoyable times spent with loved ones while also shaping a stylish comeback.
“I used my digital so much over the summer. I took over 1000 pictures during our magnet senior europe trip and they added so much to my memories from the experience. I’ve also taken [my digital camera] to the recent concerts I’ve been to and every hangout with my friends,” Badstibner said.
