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The emergence of digital camera usage has taken over Gen-Z’s Instagram profiles around the world. But why would students opt for an old camera, especially when phone cameras are more high-tech? The glowy, warm saturated effects and strong flash are all sought out features of these trendy photos, providing a significant contrast from sharper, naturally lit iPhone photos. Digital cameras have found their way into capturing priceless moments for many students at Bellevue, memorializing school assemblies, homecoming, and summer break.
While this trend is widespread, many students have yet to get their hands on this nostalgic piece of technology, despite wanting to.
“A lot of people around me have a digicam, so I’ve been looking for one recently. But there’s so many different cams and places to get it from so I’ve been struggling,” said Junior Catie Kwon.
Purchasing cameras can be overwhelming, but after this comprehensive guide, students will know exactly where to look!Before hopping onto any online websites, we strongly recommend reaching out to extended family members. Since digital cameras grew in popularity in the 2000s to early 2010s, chances are that an aunt or uncle will have an old camera waiting for life outside of storage.
“My first digicam was my parents’ old Sony camera,” said junior Nethra Chitiprolu.
If luck isn’t on your side, second-hand is the next best way to go! Sites like eBay are great for shopping for second-hand technology, although it’s imperative that one checks shop reviews before purchasing. On the other hand, local sites like Facebook Marketplace make in person pick up accessible and reduce the possibility of getting scammed online. If neither of these options have your camera of choice, popular online thrift stores like Poshmark and Depop are also good alternatives.
“I bought my digicam secondhand off eBay. It wasn’t hard to find one, but it was hard to find something for a good price,” said freshman Ella Xu. Unfortunately, scams run rampant on many of these sites, making it imperative to be able to recognize whether a price is too good to be true. Most working condition cameras produced in the 2000s-2010s currently range from 60-210 dollars. It’s strongly advised not to purchase anything under or over that price range unless it comes from a reputable seller.
If buying secondhand isn’t your thing, online sites like Amazon or Best Buy also supply these retro cameras. Amazon carries non name brands that are significantly cheaper, even while new, and reviewed just as effectively. Alternatively, Best Buy carries popular brands at a steeper price. After finding a site, the next step is to choose a camera that fits within your needs. Students will find that cameras have varying levels of MP, mega pixels, which translate into the resolution of an image. One mega pixel is one million pixels, and the more you have, the higher the quality will be. Due to this, typically cameras with higher pixel count also come with a higher price tag. Another area of focus is battery type. Some cameras use traditional double AA batteries, while others come with their own rectangular battery pack that requires recharging in an outlet.
With that, this concludes our guide for all things digicam. Ultimately, the specific camera doesn’t matter too much, it’s the memories made with it. We hope that this guide eliminated any confusion with purchasing digicams and led you in the right direction to this 2000s pop culture staple.
