Digital, disposable, and Polaroid cameras create a vintage, candid photo — an aesthetic which surged in 2023. 

The craze hasn’t stopped there. Smartphone apps Dispo and Lapse showcase Gen Z’s obsession with photos reminiscent of childhood prints. Why is there a sudden preference for older cameras when smartphones possess the latest photo lens technology?

Having grown up in an age where technology is integral to many aspects of life, alternative cameras may be just what people need to live more of their lives in the present moment. 

Freshman Eva Bessette said she uses a 2003 digital camera she found at home.

“I loved using it to document special times throughout my senior year and into college,” Bessette said. “I love the nostalgic feel and the novelty of having photos taken and taking photos of friends that are not readily accessible on your phone.”

Bessette said using a digital camera helps her hold onto memories and live in the moment.

“When you are on an iPhone, it takes away from the moment, but when you use alternative cameras, it allows you to capture memories while saving the photos for later,” freshman Bella Walsh said. 

Dispo and Lapse are ways to achieve the same spontaneous and imperfect image as a disposable camera while using a smartphone. Lapse even requires users to wait for their photo to “develop” before they can see the image. 

Freshman Ellie Fromm said she prefers Lapse over her traditional iPhone camera. 

“I think the Lapse camera gives a better effect,” Fromm said. “Maybe these apps have become popular because of the rise of ’90s and early 2000s influence — these apps give the look of these time periods.”

In fashion, television, and even photography, it seems the ’90s and 2000s have had an impact on many aspects of culture and style in Gen Z students’ lives. Maybe it’s a craving for nostalgia in the years they grew up in that is resulting in such a push back from the clearest, brightest images to ones with unconventional lighting and uncoordinated poses, or maybe it’s a rebellion against the pressure of creating the most appealing social media content with the best angles, expressions, and outfits. 

Alternative cameras are a refreshing way to embrace imperfection in a digital world of filters and extensive editing. They allow people to freeze real moments without stopping to take the perfect Instagram picture. People are choosing the beauty of reality over the glamorization of societal perfection through the use of alternative cameras.