The point-and-shoot digital cameras of the early 2000s are making a comeback, especially among the young generation. But the question is why?
What is the explanation for these twenty-year-old digicams being sought out when there are many more advanced and accessible models in our pockets?
For teenagers these days, taking photos is a frequent yet tedious activity.
With the majority of our generation spending a lot of time on social media, there comes the pressure to have the perfect photos to accompany our posts. But the meticulous process of selecting the best photo, editing the lighting, and seeking approval before finally uploading it can be extremely taxing. Instead of proudly and happily sharing significant moments on social media, doing so can often feel like a chore due to the steps that are expected to be taken beforehand.
And that’s where digital cameras come into the frame.
In contrast to the perfectly edited images taken by the constantly-enhanced smartphones that we are used to, the results from these retro digicams are 100% raw and natural. While this may seem like a disadvantage, using a digital camera allows you to forget about the excessive altering and just focus on the actual intent of taking photos: capturing your memories.
Digicams also capture a presence of a specific type of nostalgia.
The warm coloring brings a familiar feeling, making today’s teens long to be transported to the simpler time of when these digital cameras were first produced—when the expectation for photos to be flawless and perfect didn’t exist.
For millennials, it was the film camera that made appearances during their childhood that serves as their nostalgic reprieve. For the current generation of centennials, digital cameras evoke that same feeling, sprinkling the photos taken with a glint of intimacy and personality that smartphone cameras cannot provide.
There is also a refreshingly tactile sense to using one of these vintage digital cameras. Smartphone cameras are more advanced than digicams yet, there is something lacking—the exciting feeling that comes as you press a shutter button.
As photographer Mark Hunter, also known as the Cobrasnake, stated, “People are realizing [that] it’s fun to have something not attached to their phone. You’re getting a different result than you’re used to.”
The “different result” that digital cameras offer are just what teens these days are looking for.
Using a digicam takes all the stress out of the picture and grants you the ability to slow down and focus on capturing your memories: an escape from the hectic and ever-changing world that we live in today, which is something all of us need once in a while.
From the whirring noise that is created when snapping a digital image or video, the specific texture and grain of megapixels, to the wistful and comforting coloring, the experience of using a digital camera remains unmatched for those longing for simpler times.
