I was scrolling on Vinted the other day when an old second-hand iphone 5 came up. When I saw that it was listed for ÂŁ100, I laughed and clicked on it. This must be a scam. It had hundreds of likes though so I looked up other iphone 5s on Vinted and saw they were all listed for a similar price. I was like- what?!Â
A quick google search later, I found an article talking about how old technology and pictures are trending right now amongst Gen Z. I was already aware of old digicam pictures trending, but I didnât realise how much old iphone pictures had taken off as well. It occurred to me that now it was actually cool to have old technology, which I find funny because I have that exact same iphone 5 sitting in my drawer from when I was younger, and it certainly did not feel cool to have that iphone when I did. This really got me thinking about why there has been this sudden resurgence in digicams and vintage pictures?
When I think about an old digicam I use, itâs probably a bit weird that I take the battery out to charge it in a battery charger, when now a USB can just do it for me. But isn’t that part of the fun? You can actually see what powers the pictures. There is something ritualistic about the whole process, and I think there is an undeniable excitement of waiting to upload the pictures from the camera, and see what they look like.Â
Thatâs another thing I find interesting about the rise of old technology: on nights out, I see people posing and taking photos on their old digicams, and then immediately turning back to their brand new phones. Itâs kind of contradictory that weâre trying to present this retro aesthetic, while simultaneously having the newest possible phone. It feels a bit performative. However, the new phones have access to advanced tech that we donât have on the old ones. Old photos have such an âin the moment look,â and yet when you see them being taken in real life, that moment is so short lived and posed.
Then straight back to the new phones we go.Â
And straight onto the instagram– upload!Â
Celebrities have definitely hopped on this social media trend as well. I mean look at Bella Hadidâs Canon Powershot SD1000, Sabrina Carpenterâs Canon Powershot ELPH 110 HS, and Tylaâs blurry iphone 5S pictures. They are definitely large contributors to this trend; even when I see them posting, it makes me want to get my digicam out or search for my old iphone. In this way, the trend has become a social movement. But, instead of being driven by creativity and freedom like in the 2000s and 2010s, it is now mainly driven by social media.
The togetherness and social life you see in pictures from old cameras definitely differs in this generation compared to when these digital cameras actually came out. I think people in this generation socialise less, and itâs reflected in the photos we take. Most of the time, they are posed on nights out or at events, whereas genuine digicam pictures from the 2000s and 2010s usually show large groups of friends walking outdoors and doing a wide variety of activities. I donât think the genuine realness of these moments can be captured by us just from using the tech they had. Too many things have changed.
This brings me to the future, and the rise of Artificial Intelligence. Is bringing back old technology a way of fighting the AI takeover? As we get further into AI use, we get further away from the imperfection and human touch of photography: AI can form many human-like images instantly without there being any real presence in the moment. This trend feels like a sort of resistance against this change, or a fight for authentic images and documentation.
I personally like using old technology to take my photos because it makes me feel present in the moment, away from the distractions of phone notifications, whether it be on a night out, or just photos of nature. It’s also exciting having to wait for the picture results on a digital camera as nowadays, everything is so instant, whether that’s a picture or just a google search. I donât think itâs a bad thing to have to wait for something good, and I think we need to practice more of that.Â
Whether it’s resistance to an artificial future, a genuine love for vintage photos, or just simply wanting an aesthetic Instagram, I love that old technology has made a comeback. In a world where everything is so crisp and polished, it feels important to embrace a bit of blur and imperfection. I am currently trying to get my hands on my parents’ vintage FujifilmâŠwish me luck!