Gen Z have one thing on top of their Christmas list this year and it’s a gadget millennials loved twenty years before.
Teens and early 20s consumers can’t get enough of digital compact cameras, a throwback trend that has been sparked by influencers on TikTok.
They surged in popularity for their portability and instantly available images after the reign of the disposable camera, a mainstay of youngsters for the decade.
Early digital cameras produce a crisp and clear looking photo because of their flash and big sensors that help to pick up light.
‘The Kodak Pic Pro FZ45 is my favorite camera or piece of technology that I own,’ TikTok influencer Ellen Barron told her followers in a recent video.
‘It’s just so compact and easy to chuck in a bag, the battery lasts really well and it takes the most amazing photos,’ she explained.
‘It takes the coolest, clearest photos that make everyone look amazing.’
Another influencer, Avery Lock Miller, recommended the Canon Power Shot 360 in a video that has been seen 3.3 million times.
Celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston once sported the cameras on red carpets
TikToker Kel King recommended the Canon Power Shot elph 180, calling it ‘the it girl of digital cameras.’
King also said another of her favorites is the Sony Cybershot dsc w-560.
The influencer told her TikTok followers to search online marketplace eBay for second hand cameras that were made in the era and may be less expensive than buying a newer model.
The cameras were extremely popular in the early 2000’s, with celebrities such as Rhianna, Beyonce, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan sporting them on glamorous red carpets.
‘Gen Z’s obsession with early 2000s digital cameras isn’t just about taking pictures—it’s about rediscovering the charm of a simpler time,’ branding expert Scott Baradell told DailyMail.com.
‘These cameras bring back the raw, imperfect vibe of photos with timestamps and grainy textures that stand out on TikTok and Instagram,’ Scott, CEO of Idea Grove, explained.
‘For a generation that’s glued to their phones, stepping away from endless scrolling to use a dedicated camera feels fresh and intentional.
‘It’s a way to slow down, focus, and create something uniquely authentic—and the retro aesthetic is just the cherry on top.
TikToker Kel King recommends the Canon Power Shot elph 180 to her followers
TikToker Jaden Familio shows off the pictures taken with her Nikon digital compact camera
Paris Hilton (left) and Lady Gaga show off their digital compact cameras in the early 2000s
Beyonce is seen taking her own pictures with an Olympus digital camera
‘And getting in on this trend doesn’t have to break the bank. You can grab a retro-style digital camera for less than $20 on platforms like Temu,’ he added.
The youngest members of Genz Z are just twelve years old so have never known a world without iphones, so are perhaps curious about previously popular technology.
‘I think people are feeling really nostalgic for that era, like the early 2000s, when everyone would bring their digital cameras to the club or like to a party or to a family party and stuff, and take those photos,’ lifestyle and internet trend expert Elizabeth Gulino told NPR.
‘Those images make us feel nostalgic. And I think people are chasing that,’ she explained.
‘They definitely look airy, floaty and ethereal when using a digital camera flash in particular.’
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