Old-School Digital Cameras Are Trending Again, This Is Your Sign To Buy One

Once upon a time, long before TikTok transitions and portrait mode selfies, there was the humble digital camera. If you grew up in the ‘90s or early 2000s, you probably remember the joy of flipping through your camera’s grainy LCD screen, scrolling through party photos that looked just a little bit off but somehow still good enough. Back then, smartphones were still finding their feet, and their cameras were not exactly Instagram-worthy.

Then came the smartphone takeover. With iPhones and Samsungs dishing out sharper-than-real-life photos, digital cameras slowly got pushed to the back of our junk drawers. Just like flared jeans, flip phones, and low-rise everything, digicams are back and they’re cooler than ever.

Now, everyone from fashion influencers to nostalgia-loving Gen Zers is swapping their ultra-HD smartphone snaps for soft-focus, slightly grainy digital camera shots that are cool without trying too hard.

If you’ve been itching to jump on the trend, we’ve rounded up a few worthy contenders and where to find them.

If you want a trusty companion that’s easy to carry, and can capture moody sunsets or blurry friends dancing at 2 am, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W800 might be the one. It comes with a 20.1MP sensor, 5x optical zoom, and SteadyShot image stabilisation, so you don’t have to worry about shaky hands ruining your shots.

You’ll also get a 2.7-inch LCD screen for previewing your photos, 720p video recording, and a nifty 360° Sweep Panorama feature to capture wide landscapes or crowded concerts in one go. It even has a Smile Shutter feature, because sometimes your camera should be the one deciding when to snap. Price: $203.63. Where To Buy: Shop Amazon.

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This one’s for the overachievers, as the Samsung WB150F does more than what a regular digital camera does. It’s got built-in Wi-Fi that lets you upload directly to social media or back up to the cloud. It even connects to other Samsung devices for remote shooting and GPS tagging. It’s a content creator’s sidekick disguised as a throwback camera.

With a 24–432mm lens, manual controls, loads of photo filters, and the ability to tweak your brightness, saturation, and sharpness, you also get all the creative flexibility. Price: ₦150,000. Where To Buy: Shop Tus Vintage.

3. Canon PowerShot A495

If you don’t want to play around with settings and filters, the Canon A495 is a plug-and-play option. It has a 10MP sensor, 3.3x zoom, and a 2.5-inch screen. What it lacks in fancy extras, it makes up for in charm and straightforward usability.

AA batteries power it, so you don’t have to worry about misplacing a charger. The image quality gets even better in good lighting, and it has that grainy, raw aesthetic everyone’s chasing these days. Price: $139.95. Where To Buy: Shop Amazon.

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The Canon A2300 is the kind of camera you’d take everywhere: holidays, concerts, dates, casual walkabouts. It has a 6MP resolution, 5x optical zoom, and records 720p HD video at the press of a button. There’s also Digital IS to help minimise blurriness when you’re shooting on the go.

It also comes with Smart Auto, which means it automatically figures out the best settings for your scene. And if you’re new to cameras, the Help button walks you through what everything does. Price: ₦175,000. Where To Buy: Shop Noirstalgia Avenue.

Slim and light, the Coolpix S3000 is all about capturing life as it happens. With 12MP resolution, a 4x zoom, and automatic scene detection, it’s a casual camera you can use for everyday photography. It also includes Nikon’s Electronic VR to help keep images sharp when things get a bit wobbly.

The camera’s slim design and cute colours make it easy to carry around, and while it doesn’t have the most advanced features, it makes up for it with its convenience. Price: ₦155,000. Where To Buy: Shop Noirstalgia Avenue.

Packing a punch with a 20MP sensor and 10x optical zoom, the Canon IXUS 155 gives you that smooth, soft-focus quality people pay hundreds for in editing apps. It also has Smart Auto, Face Detection, and a Live View Control so you can tweak brightness and colour in real time.

It’s small enough to slip into a tiny handbag, but powerful enough to handle wide landscapes, group shots, and night-time cityscapes. The Eco Mode even helps preserve battery, so you don’t miss any moments. Price: ₦177,000. Where To Buy: Shop Tus Vintage.

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7. Kodak EasyShare MX1063

With a 10.3MP sensor, digital image stabilisation, and scene modes for everything from portraits to sunsets, the Kodak EasyShare MX1063 is a classic reborn. It comes with Kodak’s signature EasyShare software, which makes it easy to manage and upload your photos.

Bonus features include red-eye reduction, tagging for socials, and a rechargeable battery. It has a Quick Touch Share button for easy uploads, similar to the AirDrop that all iPhones have. Price: $142.69. Where To Buy: Shop Amazon.

Many of these digital cameras were originally made in the early 2000s, and while they’re back in style, they’re still a product of their time. Expect some features like limited battery life, slower shutter speeds, and grainier images than your phone. 

Digital cameras are having their main character moment again. They’re not only nostalgic, they’re also creative and give you freedom from the pressure of always needing to take “perfect” pictures. You can easily capture a blurry night out, your friend’s outfit, or a really good plate of jollof rice on a digicam, and it’ll still look aesthetically pleasing.