An Ohio State student using a digital camera to photograph her college house to keep for memories. Credit: Paige Puhalsky | LTV Campus Producer.
For many members of Gen Z, their first interactions with a digital camera were sporting their 2000s-style haircuts and outfits in front of one. Now, they’re picking those cameras back up, and chasing that same look that documented their childhoods.
As Y2K fashion and early 2000s aesthetics make their way back into popular culture, some Ohio State students are choosing digital cameras to capture a retro look. For students like Talia Norton, a first-year in accounting, the appeal goes beyond social media, she said, combining nostalgia, creativity and a different way of documenting everyday life.
Whether she is posting on social media, spending time with friends or simply saving photos to look back on, Norton said she frequently reaches for her digital camera instead of her cellphone.
“I bring my digital camera everywhere,” Norton said. “I feel like each time I bring it, it’s for a different reason.”
Although her iPhone is able to produce a quality photo, Norton said it does not create the same front-flash effect as her digital camera. The flash makes people stand out in photos while making skin appear clearer and outfits pop, she said.
While a similar effect can be created by editing an iPhone photo, Norton said that requires an understanding of which adjustments to make.
“With a digital camera, you click a button and it’s all done,” Norton said.
Cara Tiller, a third-year in health sciences, said digital camera photos can feel more authentic than those taken on an iPhone. Part of the excitement, she said, comes from waiting to upload the photos and see what moments she captured.
Differences in blurriness and brightness can also give digital camera photos a more distinctive look, Tiller said.
For Norton, the distinct look of digital cameras is also connected to nostalgia. She said the flash associated with digital cameras can give photos the vintage look that has become popular alongside the rise of Y2K fashion.
Norton said she first noticed digital cameras becoming popular during her sophomore year of high school, in 2023. She began seeing digital camera photos on TikTok, and noticed her friends bringing cameras to social gatherings.
The trend also reminded Norton of looking through her mom’s old photos, which featured Y2K fashion trends like low-rise jeans, tank tops and animal print. She said all the photos were taken on digital cameras.
“[Digital cameras] kind of reminded me of growing up, seeing my mom and my grandmothers take pictures of everything and take pictures of me,” Tiller said. “I loved that part of growing up, so I guess I just wanted to bring that back for myself.”
Tiller’s inspiration also came from wanting to create a photo album documenting her college experience with her friends.
Gina Osterloh, an associate professor of art in the Department of Art, said she believes the rise in digital camera use is partly driven by students wanting to create images outside of cellphones to spend more time away from their devices.
Although social media has contributed to increased interest in digital cameras, Osterloh said she believes creativity plays a larger role in the trend.
“When I see and hear and listen closely to students about their inspiration from creating and seeing an image that doesn’t look like everyone else’s images, and to connect with other students in that excitement, I think maybe that’s greater than the social media influence,” Osterloh said.
Osterloh said although digital cameras can have a lower resolution than newer iPhones, the ability to achieve a unique image is a driving force behind their increased use. Students might prefer the imperfections of older digital cameras over advanced iPhone cameras because they allow for unique types of storytelling.
Another part of the appeal of using a digital camera, Tiller said, is that the experience feels different from taking photos with a cellphone.
“It feels more fun,” Tiller said. “It feels more in the moment. And it’s something about taking pictures on something that isn’t your phone.”
Osterloh said using a separate camera can change the way someone approaches taking a photo, because it encourages them to see and observe things differently, as a different device can change how someone observes their surroundings.
Taking a photo on an iPhone can involve multiple taps, while using a traditional camera can offer a more deliberate experience, often involving holding the camera with two hands and pressing a shutter button, Osterloh said.
Tiller said she brings her camera with her when she is going somewhere new or doing something fun — using it to photograph her surroundings from her point of view. An Ohio State football game, for example, gives her an opportunity to photograph her friends and the atmosphere around her.
“It’s just a way to capture what I’m seeing and all the fun that’s going on,” Tiller said.
However, digital cameras still have limitations, Norton said. When using flash, photographers may have to wait a few seconds before taking another photo, making an iPhone more convenient for capturing several candid shots.
Despite this limitation, Norton said digital cameras allow her to preserve memories, regardless of whether she plans to share the photos on social media.
“I feel like the second biggest reason [to have a digital camera] is just memories,” Norton said. “Even if it’s not to post, to remember a time or look back at it and make you happy.”
Norton said she believes digital cameras will remain popular as people continue looking for ways to document their lives and share photos with friends.
Osterloh echoed this thought, and said she believes digital cameras will continue to grow in popularity as students realize they can use them to express their individual creative voices.
“Seeing this excitement to create images that might not automatically be traceable by AI, like images that exist outside of those algorithms, that’s really special,” Osterloh said.
Tiller said she plans to continue using her digital camera, even if her peers move on to the next trend.
“[My camera] reminds me of my childhood and all the pictures I would take on my little camera when I was younger,” Tiller said. “It’s just bittersweet to be in college doing the same thing that I looked up to my mother doing and my grandmother doing.”
