Why are so many Gen Zers drawn to old-school digital cameras?
For a generation that’s grown up with smartphones, digital cameras are a nostalgic reprieve from an always-on culture..
The latest digital cameras boast ever-higher resolutions, better performance in low light, smart focusing, and shake reduction—and they’re built right into your smartphone.
Even so, some Gen Zers are now opting for point-and-shoot digital cameras from the early 2000s, before many of them were born.
It’s something of a renaissance, and not just for older cameras. The digital-camera industry as a whole is seeing a resurgence. Previously, industry revenue peaked in 2010 and was shrinking annually through 2021. Then it saw new growth in 2022, and it is projected to continue growing for the coming years.
But why?
One explanation is nostalgia, or a yearning for the past. And indeed, nostalgia can be an effective coping strategy in times of change and upheaval—the COVID-19 pandemic is just one of the disorienting shifts of the past few decades.
BY TIM GORICHANAZ—THE CONVERSATION READ FULL STORY @ FAST COMPANY
