As trends such as mom jeans and scrunchies have made their way back from the 90s, film cameras are making a similar comeback as well. Before the high resolution iPhone photos of today—before we even had phones that could take pictures—and way before we had digital camera photography, it was all done on film.
What even is a film camera, you might ask? Well, film cameras are, as their name suggests, a camera that captures images on a roll of plastic film. As soon as the shutter goes off, the image is essentially printed onto the film. In order to see your images you’ll have to wait until you get them developed!
It seems like many Millennials and Gen Zers, especially celebrities like Gigi Hadid, have caught on to this new trend and own some kind of film camera of their own. There is no doubt the popularity of film cameras—ranging from cheap disposable cameras to legit film cameras—is growing.
What is it about film cameras that make them so trendy and desirable?
The growing popularity of film cameras could be explained in various ways. One, there’s something exciting about getting a new gadget that we don’t already have that makes the experience of using rare items like film cameras that much more special. Two, the grainy and nostalgic look of the developed picture enhances the memories captured in that one shot. And three, the anticipation of how the pictures will turn out is something we don’t get from digital photographs.
What got me obsessed with the Fujifilm disposable cameras I use is the element of surprise and nostalgia that brings out the happiness within me when the photos are finally developed. Sometimes I’ll even leave the finished disposables in my desk for some extra time before going to develop them.
One of my talented film photographer friends, Miguel, got interested in film cameras during his junior year of high school. While attempting to overcome personal struggles, he came across the Brazillian movie City of God. It was a story of two people living in a favela; one grew up to be a drug lord while the other became a photojournalist. Inspired by the film, he inherited a Nikon FM2 which belonged to his father.
Here’s what he had to say about why he enjoys film and his opinion on its growing popularity.
“As you know, you can’t see your shots until you develop the rolls, which is a huge part of the thrill of shooting film” Miguel explains. “You only have one roll… [and] it forces you to really know your camera and your surroundings. It really keeps you grounded in the moment because it could all be gone in a flash.” He emphasizes that “the images come out organically and there’s a raw quality to it that you can’t always get from a digital camera.”
Miguel believes that the popularity in film comes from the trend of going “retro” or “vintage” as a part of hipster and hypebeast culture. He describes the old medium as an “aesthetic” to many people that enhances the “sense of nostalgia” and allows them to “relive past days of glory, love, and happiness.”
Miguel also touches on the fact that “it’s a good thing, it helps keep the film industry alive and thriving.” Countless film shops are opening their doors again and “a lot of film stock is being revived”. Like the memories made with his camera, he hopes that this good thing will last a long time.
Of course even with the amount of hype around film cameras, not everyone is able to afford such a large purchase and the additional costs of buying and developing film. So, for those of you who are on a budget like myself, you could try these alternative options. The Fujifilm disposable cameras have the same element of surprise as traditional film cameras in getting your photos back after shooting the entire roll of film for a fraction of the price. If you’re only looking for the effect of film cameras, there are apps such as Disposable by David Dobrik and Huji. You could even find filters on instagram and snapchat that can provide that retro aesthetic. All in all, no matter how good or bad the photo turns out, the memories are forever!