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The Comeback of Digital Cameras

BY HELEN AN

MARCH 30, 2026

Recently, the glitz, glamor, and low-rise jeans of the 2000s have been making a comeback. This commercialized “Y2K” style has quickly resurfaced across social media and become a fashion symbol for America yet again. Perhaps the biggest trend that has managed to come out on top is the rebirth of digital cameras. 

20 years ago, all of the “it” girls were using glittery pink cameras to take pictures to post online. Today, a younger generation still does the same, showing that not much has changed. But how did this trend manage to resurface, and why has it come back stronger the second time, even though camera quality and cameras as a whole have improved? 

EBHS Junior Abigail Fauci said, “The photo quality of digital cameras is really good, so pictures become a novelty. Digital cameras also capture people more authentically. Using a camera to take pictures becomes more purposeful than using a cellphone that can be used for almost anything.”

Smartphones no longer feel special because they are everywhere and can do everything. However, by carrying a camera for an event, it brings excitement to taking photos. 

Senior Audrey Cheng, a yearbook photographer, and Junior Kaylee Choi said, “People like the aesthetic that comes from digital cameras, as it provides a nostalgic feel. Additionally, we often glorify what we don’t have in the present, which is why we tend to go back to older trends instead of moving forward.”

All in all, the resurfacing of digital cameras does not solely represent the rebirth of the Y2K trend, the rebirth of values, or even a cute trend that has rightfully come back. Rather, it comes from the difficulty in developing new trends to define American society. It shows a larger theme of our inability to be oriented toward the future; people crave the nostalgic look from the digital camera rather than the crisp, clean quality of a smartphone. It is obvious that Gen Z seems to be turning back to the past instead of adapting to the present.