In the past 30 years, cell phone cameras have become increasingly better, eliminating the need for clunky, large cameras. Despite this, growing groups of teenagers have begun carrying a separate digital camera for capturing moments with a nostalgic twist.

Junior Nicole Cooper said digital cameras are just one part of a larger trend of teenagers buying vintage and nostalgic items.

“People are saying that 2026 is the new 2016 and honestly, I totally agree with that,” Cooper said. “There’s a bunch of old trends coming back, and that includes the use of physical cameras over iPhones.”

Cooper began using a digital camera because she found it fun to use her mom’s old camera.

“I was seeing a lot of people online using [digital cameras],” Cooper said. “I thought my mom had a couple of those, so I looked around in her stuff, and I found a bunch of her old cameras. I took the SD card out and made it my own.”

Many students use them to photograph their friends, but sophomore Paige Lowe uses hers to photograph nature.

“I got it for Christmas,” Lowe said. “It was on my wish list because I like to travel, and it’s cool to have a small, accessible camera just to take photos of scenery.”

Similar to Lowe, Cooper has expanded the use of her camera to practice her skills in photography.

“I started by just taking pictures of group functions,” Cooper said. “Then I started using it more and more, and now I also use it for actual photography.”

Senior Mackenzie Clifton likes to use her digital camera, sharing the photos she takes on an Instagram account she made for her camera.

I thought that it would be fun to post what I’m doing and [share] what my friends and I did when we were going out,” Clifton said. “I wanted somewhere to put it besides my main Instagram, because it’s more casual.”