Many in the full-frame world had not predicted the comeback of film or retro digital cameras. They were too focused on dissing APS-C and the lack of features in the smaller cameras. What is interesting to note is that while retro aesthetics are back, a part of this is also now contributing to the sales of Kodak’s disposable cameras. That does sound interesting. But what or who are the reasons behind this peak?
Nostalgia That Was Never Lived
According to NBC News, the keen interest in 1990s nostalgia has led millennials and Gen Z to pick up analog again. Disposable cameras, which are a far cheaper variant of a proper film camera, have also been openly adopted by the TikTok generation. The report adds that multiple photo labs receive hundreds of disposable cameras to process the film, and that’s just the daily number. A darkroom owner in San Clemente, California, revealed that his lab processes and recycles about 200 to 300 disposable cameras. As a result, the sales of these devices have doubled in the last five years.
The report adds that celebrity culture (Snoop Dogg and Shaquille O’Neal) is one of the many reasons for this boom. But other than that, there is also the need to hold a physical print, a rare object for Gen Z in a digital world. Social media has further contributed to this craze. The Pentax 17 and the Fujifilm X100V are recent examples of how analog and digital retro cameras are becoming insanely popular. But it also makes us wonder how long it will be before people get tired of this.
Riding the Trend Train
Let’s face it. The nostalgia market can run only so much before it dries up, and another mammoth is taking its place later. For instance, the film was replaced by digital, and then smaller sensors were overshadowed by megapixel wars. Consumers want something new, so companies will continue to deliver what the market trend says. Even if it means we may reach the stagnation point. The boom of X100V, which did not perform well in our test, led to the creation of X-M5, which is wholly focused on videos and content creation. Again, what Gen Z is doing is treating analog for content. It is about the likes, too. And I am not saying this to diss them; I am purely stating facts.
This also means that while the look, experience, and element of surprise continue to put a spell on the digital generation, I am not sure how long the momentum will continue. Reports have stated that many from the newer generation are focused on physical books over Kindle, similarly to how they are keener on dumbphones over smartphones. While Gen Z contributes to this, some millennials simply want to connect to their childhood before our every waking hour was in front of a screen.
Analog to Perfect The Craft
Although this trend, at least for the moment, seems to stay around, I would also like to see people turn to analog for the love of the medium. The reasons vary from “vibe” to connecting with people around you or simply showing down. However, it is not to perfect their craft. The reason I chose film is not because “I want to make pictures like Henri Cartier-Bresson” but simply because I want to disconnect from the digital world. While I have no problem with that, the film can’t simply be limited to one box. It can’t only be the look and feel. The first time I picked up a Nikon FM 2, I ruined my photos. And that went beyond the test of patience. It was simply to hone how quickly I understood the device without seeing anything on my screen.
So, while the rise of disposal cameras is a welcomed change, I do believe we need to look at film with a more keen gaze. Perhaps we may then begin to appreciate our predecessors even more.