Compact Digital Camera Retrospective | Why Old Compact Digital Cameras Are Trending | Release #19
Digital cameras released in the early 2000s, known as 'Old Compact Digital Cameras'. They may seem like old contraptions at first glance, but they are gaining attention again as essential gadgets for stylish young people.
It's a curious phenomenon when you think about it. With the advent of high-performance digital cameras and smartphones that offer excellent operability and clear photos, why choose 'Old Compact Digital Cameras' that were released before they were born or when they were children, and which they likely had little opportunity to use? This time, we delve into why 'Old Compact Digital Cameras' are gaining attention among young people, especially Generation Z.
Looking Back at My Mother's Camera and Those Photos
The era was still Heisei. Weekends at amusement parks, zoos, and aquariums with the family. My baby brother crying in the stroller, my mother flustered, and me running around unaware of the chaos. My father chasing after me to ensure I didn't get lost.
After the exhausting picnic, a family photo taken by asking someone to take it. That single photo brings back memories of that day like a video.
In today's world, it's easy to take high-quality photos and videos with a smartphone. However, there seems to be something in those old photos that today's technology lacks. It's easy to sum it up with words like emotional depth or nostalgia, but it's a special photo experience for each person that can't be fully expressed in words.
The Sense of Nostalgia Crosses Borders
It seems that the trend of old compact digital cameras and the culture of cherishing the nostalgia of old photos is not limited to Japan. In a BBC article titled 'Digital cameras back in fashion after online revival', New York-based creator Katie Glasgow, who uses her parents' old equipment to create images and videos, was interviewed. She commented on the charm of old compact digital cameras:
'Photos taken with old compact digital cameras look like memories because they are blurry and imperfect. They seem closer to how we remember things. For younger people, who will have virtually no recollection of these cameras in their 2000s heyday, this opens up a kind of "nostalgic world".'
Original text:
'It looks like memories, because it's blurry and imperfect. It looks more like how we remember things. For younger people, who will have virtually no recollection of these cameras in their 2000s heyday, this opens up a kind of "nostalgic world".'
(From BBC interview, February 6, 2023)
In a way, using common tools can sometimes bridge the gap between people more than language. The unique images created by cameras from 'that era' seem to be creating a common nostalgia that transcends borders.
Nostalgia 10 Years Later
This time, we considered how viewing photos taken with old compact digital cameras creates a shared sense of nostalgia and longing.
In any case, today's cameras will inevitably become 'old' cameras of the past for future generations. Will the emotion of nostalgia arise then as well? Cameras with over a hundred million pixels have emerged, capturing details beyond human perception. As Katie Glasgow mentioned, if we seek 'blurry and imperfect expressions', today's cameras might be too perfect to evoke nostalgia. Or perhaps, as camera technology evolves, our perceptions will shift, and the day will come when we view today's photos with nostalgia. In any case, looking back at the photos taken this morning will be enjoyable ten years from now.
