Digital cameras are capturing 2023. Although the latest phone cameras generate high-quality photos, Gen Z has recently opted to use old-school digital cameras instead.
This trend started on social media with content creators sharing their photos taken on digital cameras. The photos’ nostalgic and slightly retro look attracted the attention of many, including myself. Wanting to partake, last summer I dug around my room to find my old digital camera that my grandma gave me when I was little. Surprisingly, my Sony Cybershot DSC-W730 was still in good condition. Since then, I have brought it to gatherings with my friends and family. Over the past few months, I have discovered the advantages it has over a phone camera.
First, it encourages you to be present. When out and about with friends, you should not be constantly checking your phone. Without using your phone to take pictures, you will find yourself less apt to be distracted by it. A digital camera provides a way to disconnect from your phone and allows you to stay present to capture special memories.
Secondly, using a digital camera becomes an activity in itself. It is not as high technology as a phone, so you must be more careful and focused to get a good photo. Additionally, you have to download the photos. This can take a little bit of time, depending on how you do it. I bought a card reader from Amazon that connects directly to my phone, making it fairly effortless. After my photos are downloaded, I usually edit them slightly. Overall, the process of using a digital camera certainly takes longer than using a phone, but it becomes an enjoyable activity.
Lastly, the photos just look cool. The lower resolution blurs out backgrounds and puts greater focus on the people and objects in the photos, while the overpowering flash creates a vintage look.
Digital cameras are a fun and unique alternative to a phone camera. If you do not have an old digital camera, you can buy a used one at Amazon or other sites. I highly recommend starting to use digital cameras to capture memories at football games, parties or events with your friends and family. Your photos will be special and look like a snapshot of the early 2000s.
