Here in Asia, there’s a growing photography trend centered around “digicams.” Yes, those crappy digital point and shoot cameras that were all the rage in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The center of this trend is — surprise, surprise — Japan. But, it’s also now popping up in Thailand, Taiwan and South Korea.
I’ve seen people describe these old compacts in various ways. “Budget film photography,” “modern vintage” look and “vintage digicams,” to name a few. But, what’s actually happening here? Why are these early (and forgotten) digital cameras getting the interest of both digital and film photographers alike? Australia-based film photographer Lucy Lumen shares her insights and findings in the video above.
Given the rising cost of film rolls, film cameras and film developing, it’s not surprising that some photographers are now turning to older digital cameras for their nostalgia fix. Sure, you can always use presets and filters to get the film look on your high-res digital photos. But the low resolution images that CCD sensors produce do exude the lo-fi vibe more effectively.
So, any thoughts on the idea of old digicams being the next big photography trend? Share them with us in the comments below, or in our group discussions if you’ve already joined the Photofocus Community!
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