2005: the year of low-rise jeans, American Idol, iPods, and digital cameras. Now, it’s 2025, and we have mid-rise jeans, Outerbanks, iPhones, and digital cameras. The question is why, 20 years later, is Generation Z using digital cameras when they have easy access to a camera on their phones? 

     Photos taken from digital cameras are flooding Gen Z Instagram feeds. Students make Instagram accounts dedicated to posting digital camera photos with a totally different aesthetic. But what makes a digital camera more appealing than a phone camera? 

     US Digital Arts and Photography Teacher Kurtis Hassinger said, “People like the aesthetic of [older cameras], the grainy black and white feel especially, so I guess it’s not surprising that the lower resolution pixelated cameras have a very unique look to them.”

     Besides the aesthetic look that digital cameras produce, students find pleasure in the act of using these cameras. Junior Betty Li said, “If you just took a photo with your phone, it’s not special, or it doesn’t stand out. But with the camera, you have more fun with it. It’s more nostalgic.” 

     As Gen Z becomes increasingly obsessed with these cameras, prices have risen significantly. Models like the Canon PowerShot Elph 190 now range from $150 to $250, compared to similar models priced around $100 to $150 in 2015, reflecting the growing demand among Gen Z. Freshman Olivia Manfery noticed these price changes. “Honestly, I feel like people are buying a lot more cameras, so the companies have felt the need to increase the prices to keep making income,” she said.

     While many students pay for their cameras, parents often already own one. Manfery’s camera came from her mom and has been with her for years.   

     Digital cameras allow parents to feel more connected with their kids, as it can be a shared interest. Most parents used a digital camera in their teens, so they can pass down knowledge to their children.

     With the resurgence of digital cameras, people are discovering their artistic side. Not only are the photos being captured in different lights, but the memories they create make them so special and intriguing. 

     Hassinger said, “I think art is subjective in that way. I think it makes you feel like you’re in the real world a little more. You’re still dealing with technology, but it’s the tangible buttons and just the focus and the act of creating the art and the picture that you have more control over.”