As mobile phones became more advanced with facial recognition and state-of-the-art cameras, many imagined they'd never need to bother leaving the house with anything else.
But despite growing up surrounded by rapidly improving technology and phones, it's the youngest generation who are turning their backs on the latest mobile phones. Instead, young people from around the world are picking up digital cameras for nights out, holidays, and social events.
According to Google trends, searches for digital cameras have more than doubled since 2021. Under the hashtag "digital cameras" on TikTok, there are over 276,000 videos posted by Gen Z sharing snaps from their nights out.
"You get the best night out pictures like this," she said revealing a bright flash image of her and her friends enjoying a night out.
The Canon PowerShot is especially popular among young people for its ability to capture 'best night out' pictures that look less 'polished' than those captured on phones. Creator Evie Clark shared top tips on where to find 'the best digital cameras', highlighting her favorite as the Canon Ixus.
"Everyone and their mum has been going crazy for this camera and I can see why," Aimee Phillips said in another video encouraging followers to get their hands on the device.
The newfound popularity of old-school devices has caused prices to shoot up, with vintage handsets now selling for upwards of £100 on eBay and other second-hand online stores. Cameras nearly three decades old now retail between £80 and £150.
"I hate the pictures without flash," Evie admitted regarding some limitations of these devices.
TikToks under relevant hashtags reveal a smorgasbord of young people praising these cameras while showing off glamorous evenings spent sipping cocktails in Y2K branded attire. Celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Bella Hadid frequently share low-resolution snaps with bright flashes as well.
Georgina Parrott from John Lewis noted sales for digital cameras have increased by 50% in recent years due to popular brands like Canon and Fujifilm helping customers capture perfect shots. Matthieu Rouif explained that this move towards digital photos is driven by interest in the picture 'process', contrasting it with how easily moments can be captured via smartphones today.