Snap, click! The sound of the camera creates a throwback to before the time of iPhones. The ability to print pictures, have cameras in fun colors and use a lens for an increased zoom are some aspects of digital cameras that make them unique. The rise in digital photography raises a question: since iPhone cameras exist, why are digital cameras becoming popular again?
The release of the iPhone in 2007 was a major turning point in technology. It was a device that was convenient, useful and exciting. Because of its built-in camera, it challenged the roles of other photo-taking devices of this time. Digital camera use continued to decline as cellular phones gained popularity. iPhone camera quality also increased to draw in more customers. In time, tools such as digital cameras weren’t needed for every-day and declined in popularity—until now.
“I think it goes back to people wanting to have this nostalgic feeling to their photos,” Kelsi Sharkey (12) said. “I think that the 90s are really popular still, so that aesthetic — the early 2000s — people wanna feel that again. Especially our generation, we didn’t get to experience that stuff like the millennials did.”
Many of the up and coming trends have been throwbacks to popular things from 20-30 years ago, digital cameras being one of them. Many people love using digital cameras and even filters to modify a photo to look like it was taken back when digital cameras first gained traction. A popular program that does this is the app Lapse.
“There’s this new app called Lapse that a lot of people are using, and I use it too because it’s so aesthetically pleasing,” Sharkey said. “You take a picture and it makes it look like a film camera from forever ago.”
Though these apps can recreate the effect of digital cameras, there are aspects of digital cameras that can’t be found with them. This may be a reason for the rising trend.
“I love the way [digital cameras] take a photo,” Sharkey said. “I think a grainy look on a digital camera–it gives a more nostalgic feel.”
However, there are some parts of digital cameras that caused their decline in popularity in the first place, making iPhones more preferable.
“Price doesn’t really matter [when buying a camera],” Brissia Gallegos (11) said. “It could be a cheap camera and have the most amazing quality, or it could be extremely expensive and it’ll break within a day.”
There are certain brands that some digital camera users prefer over others based on the physical appearance of the camera, the quality of the photo and the reliability.
“I really like Canon and Kodak,” Sharkey said. “I like the color that they have on Kodak cameras and Fujifilms are really cool too. They’re close to DSLRs [digital single-lens reflex cameras].”
Many photographers don’t stick to one type of medium for photography. There are certain situations where some prefer to use digital cameras and others times when they may want to use phone cameras.
“For photos, I prefer [the digital] camera,” Gallegos said. “I think the camera just smooths everything out and makes [everything] feel more realistic —more professional –– whereas, I like taking videos more on my phone … it catches the smallest audio.”
Another reason for digital cameras regaining their relevance can be attributed to many jobs that involve photography and the handling of digital cameras. Take the role of S-5 in the JROTC Spartan Battalion for example; a position held by Gallegos.
“My role really consists of just taking photos of the Spartan Battalion to create memories, [to] use them for storyboards and to post them on our social media,” Gallegos said. “We use it to help show other cadets the experience that you can go through as part of the battalion.”
Regardless of what instruments are used to take pictures, the art of photo-taking has and will continue to thrive. Whether a digital camera, iPhone camera or even a photo booth is used, capturing a moment in time allows people to look back and remember significant parts of their life, and being able to customize that adds to the beauty of photography.
“I’ve always really enjoyed using [digital cameras],” Sharkey said.
