Why Gen Z loves the digital compact cameras that millennials used to covet

Digital compact cameras — the kind that were widely used 15 to 20 years ago — are showing up on the holiday wish lists of teens and Gen Zers.

Just like miniskirts and low rise jeans — the digital camera is a trend that has circled back around.

"I think people are feeling really nostalgic for that era, like the early 2000s, when everyone would bring their digital cameras to the club or like to a party or to a family party and stuff, and take those photos," said freelance reporter Elizabeth Gulino, who covers lifestyle and internet trends.

"Those images make us feel nostalgic. And I think people are chasing that," she added.

It's trending because people are into the vibe of images captured by digital cameras, similar to when film and disposable cameras had a moment not too long ago, she says, adding that "this is sort of a swing in the opposite direction where digital cameras have become popular."

Compared to photos taken with a smartphone flash, photos taken with a digital camera flash have a crisper look.

"They definitely look airy, floaty and ethereal when using a digital camera flash in particular," she added.

Images from these compact digital cameras may have fewer pixels than smartphone images — but these cameras also have bigger sensors to pick up light — which makes for a clearer-looking photo.

Casey Fatchett has been a professional photographer for the past 25 years and hosts the Nerdy Photographer podcast. He says digital cameras have taken off among Gen Z because they're tired of seeing themselves in photos taken on phones.

"There's so much processing that goes on in your phone that you don't have any control over," Fatchett said. "So I think that there is a yearning among young people for photos that look real, especially of themselves. So there's a feeling there that you can't get from your cell phone camera."

Fatchett says digital cameras can also be a way to be more intentional — and selective — about the photos you're taking, since you can't snap an infinite number of shots.

"Whether it's a digital camera, whether it's a film camera, whether it's a Polaroid style camera, your brain thinks about it differently," Fatchett said. "Like I only have x number of photos that I can take, so I want to capture something that really matters to me."

It may also be a way to rebel against the smartphone-centered world Gen Zers were brought up in. The youngest members of Gen Z are around 12 years old and have never lived in a world without the iPhone, which was introduced in 2007.

Choosing the right camera

Vintage is also cool again — so recycling a camera that's been sitting in a drawer somewhere for the past few decades is an option.

So is buying an older version of a higher priced model.

Phil Ryan, who writes about cameras for The New York Times tech review site Wirecutter, says there are a few things to look for if you have the option of buying that kind of camera in-person.

"Zoom the lens, make sure that it's actually working. Bring an SD card, put your SD card in and snap a few pictures and make sure that it's taking a picture and it's going to play it back," Ryan said. "And then make sure that you're going to get a charger with it."

He also suggests asking yourself why you want a digital camera in the first place. If it's that Y2K, overexposed aesthetic you're after, you can buy a lens for your phone that will give you that effect.

"So you're going to be putting literally a piece of plastic in front of the camera on your phone," Ryan said. "Those are definitely [a] stocking stuffer, you can get [them] for like $20, $25 and a whole set of them."

But, if you're trying to capture the moment without being on a device that's connected to the rest of the world — and don't care about the trendy influencer look — you can always grab an even cheaper disposable camera.

This story was edited for radio by Jan Johnson and edited for digital by Obed Manuel.
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