The Digicam Craze

The freedom of lower megapixels

Feb 03, 2025

Towards the end of 2022, I noticed a growing excitement around digicams, which brought me joy for many reasons. I used to take these digicams on nights out with my girlfriends and would post the pictures to MySpace as soon as I got home. This resurgence made me happy because it reminded me of a time when photography felt effortless and fun. I didn't worry about perfection; I documented the moments in life that mattered to me.

As a result, I opened a Digicam shop on Etsy, which unexpectedly took off overnight. I thought I would have a few sales here and there, but it became a successful 5-star shop that took over my life.

Most of my customers were Gen Z, purchasing their first camera. Most of them had only seen cameras but never held one in their hands; it was a foreign concept to them. I had grown up around cameras my whole life; it was difficult to imagine a life where you never held a camera and didn't know anything about having one. Owning this shop was an enlightening experience.

My customers would come to me in a couple of different ways:

— Some would ask me for a digicam that took "film-like" pictures. Instead of arguing that only film looks like film, I understood they were chasing an aesthetic in which digicams excel.

— Some would send me IG reels and TikToks of influencers they followed and say, "I want whatever camera they have." Typically, this camera was overrated and overpriced, which gave me a good giggle.

In either case, I felt like a digicam fairy godmother, and it became my duty to match them with the perfect camera that would bring them joy and help them capture the pictures they wanted.

As I built deeper relationships with my young customers, my heart softened toward them because I saw them searching for something much deeper than a "vintage" digital.

My customers were hungry for a life free from their phones' constant noises and notifications. They were born with cell phones and social media practically in their hands.

A digicam was their portal to a quieter life in which they relied less on their phones to take pictures, which inevitably gave them some freedom to be more present with loved ones.

I know this because they would often thank me after their purchase and tell me how these cameras I once took for granted had changed their lives. They felt less anxious, less stressed, and less obsessed with their phones—all things I never thought a digicam had the power to help with.

I also observed their desire to experience what their parents called "the good old days." They yearned for a nostalgia that wasn’t theirs.

Even something like date stamps: Most of them insisted that their digicam had a date stamp option—an aesthetic my generation (millennials) didn't care much for. I remember thinking date stamps on photos looked tacky, but to them, it signified a date they felt free and full of joy. What I used to photoshop out was something they were embracing.

While debates sparked online about digicams and their place in the photography world, I had insights into why younger people were drawn to them. It had nothing to do with the commonly assumed reasons. They purchased these cameras because they were tired of the digital overload. They desired a lo-fi kind of life. A less complicated life.

Knowing what I knew, I found it hard to keep opinions to myself when I heard others say things like:

"Wanting an old CCD camera is nonsense and overhyped."

"Digicams were from the worst era of photography."

"Digicams are just a fad."

"Digicams are for hipsters."

I support anything that excites people to shoot photography and document life, so I embraced the interest in and resurgence of "vintage" digital cameras. This enthusiasm inspired me to dust off some of my digicams, which I now carry everywhere.

Shooting with digicams isn't about perfection. Sometimes, I don't even think the digicam craze is about photography as much as it is defiance. We have all the best technology at our fingertips, yet people are trading modern camera technology for lower megapixels. Have you ever wondered why this might be?

In my experience, older photography technology allows me to be less distracted and more connected. That's why I choose film and digicams—they slow me down and help me observe the world more closely.

I love digicams! I think they have a place in the photography world and symbolize something more profound than we might think. We should encourage younger photographers to contribute to the photography community by supporting their camera choices—high or low megapixels.

Here are just a few of my favorite Digicam photos. I’m all about that digicam aesthetic.