Review: Digital Cameras
Over the past few years, teenagers and young adults have become obsessed with digital cameras. They offer a grainy, aesthetic, and nostalgic view of life. This imperfection contrasts with the overly enhanced and perfected pictures our phone cameras take. More than just a picture though, digital cameras mimic the childhood memories we had before the social media age took over. The photos feel more candid and relaxed rather than perfected and edited. The use of a digital camera also promotes living in the moment. It allows you to take pictures and still be engaged without looking at your phone, taking a picture, seeing a notification, and getting side tracked. Also, it delays the instant gratification of seeing the picture, you get the excitement of plugging up your adapter and downloading the photos after the moment is over.
If you love having pictures and memories to look back on, you should purchase a digital camera for a nostalgic feel that also allows you to not be swept up by your phone in the midst of memory making. Do you prefer a grainy and pixelated feel, or flash film that focuses on the subject? Are you drawn more towards a nostalgic memory or polished picture? Honestly, both are okay, but a digital camera offers a low pressure moment that focuses on the memory rather than the picture itself. They even fit in your pocket or purse, so it's small and light enough to carry around and they are durable, so you don’t have to worry about them breaking – unless you throw them of course.
While there are a myriad of cameras out there, most are very expensive and if they aren’t, the quality typically isn’t the best. Different cameras offer different qualities that make them worth buying, but ultimately you have to find the right one for you. Do you care to spend a little money, or do you want to go the cheaper route? Do you want higher quality or prefer the more grainy nostalgia? Video or no video? All these things should be considered before you buy one – don’t just go for what is trending.
If you want the ideal starter camera, this is the one for you! The Kodak Pixpro Fz45 is known for its friendly zoom. It’s so easy to use and the perfect camera to take with you on the go. No need to mess with the settings – unless you want to of course – but it comes set up with a very aesthetic and clean look.
Cost: | $125 |
Quality: | Great quality, good zoom, affordable, nostalgic |
Power source: | 2 AA batteries |
Does it video: | Full HD 1080p video recording |
Is it compact: | Yes! Lightweight and compact |
Colors offered: | Black, white, silver, red, blue, and pastel pink |
Memory life: | SD Card |
If you’re on a budget – or don’t want to spend a paycheck on a camera – I’d go with the Vivitar Snapshot Duo. It still offers decent quality with that grainy nostalgic feel, but for a significantly less price. This one also comes in a fun variety of colors that other cameras don’t normally offer. And bonus, it has a front camera which is perfect for vlogging and selfies.
Cost: | $35 |
Quality: | Not sharp picture, dual screens, grainy, toy-ish |
Power source: | USB-C charging |
Does it video: | 2.7K Video recording |
Is it compact: | Yes! Lightweight and compact |
Colors offered: | Coral, pink, aqua, white, and black |
Memory life: | Internally holds 100 max and SD Card |
If you’re willing to splurge (or put it on your Christmas list), the Canon Powershot Sx740 shoots with a very high quality and doesn’t require you to buy a separate adapter. If you download the Canon Camera Connect app, all you have to do is connect your bluetooth and your pictures can download to your phone. It also has a flip up front screen ideal for vlogs and selfies.
Cost: | $550 |
Quality: | Expensive, very high quality, shoots in JPEG |
Power source: | Rechargeable battery (NB-13L) |
Does it video: | 4k video recording and timeslapse |
Is it compact: | Yes! Lightweight and compact |
Colors offered: | Black and silver |
Memory life: | SD Card or SDXC card |
If you just want a basic digi-cam, don’t splurge for this one because it might not be the best choice. It doesn’t hold its battery for very long and is a pretty fragile camera. They don’t produce these anymore, so you have to buy them resale so prices vary, but if you manage to find one for cheap go for it. They are good quality, but you can buy the same quality for cheaper.
Cost: | $23o |
Quality: | Pricey, very good quality, nostalgic |
Power source: | USB charging |
Does it video: | 720p HD |
Is it compact: | Yes! Lightweight and compact |
Colors offered: | Plum, red, silver, black, and gold |
Memory life: | SD Card or SDXC |
If you want a single use film camera, this is the one for you. This strays away from the digital cameras, but still offers that nostalgic feeling. It has actual analog film, so you have to go get it developed at a local pharmacy or Walmart. It also has a low cost, after developing one roll of film it's about $40 per camera. It's a good idea to get if you don’t want a long term camera; however, it only offers 27 pictures per camera – so you have to decide if it’s worth it. Long term, it could get expensive so in the long run it might be better to get a digital camera.
Cost: | $20 for 1 / $35 for 2 |
Quality: | Okay quality – Flash recommended for all |
Power source: | AAA Battery included |
Does it video: | No video |
Is it compact: | Yes! Lightweight and compact |
Colors offered: | Green/white/black paper label |
Memory life: | Roll of film – $12-25 to develop at Walgreens/CVS/Walmart |
If you want an instant picture, a polaroid is the one for you. They’re perfect for scrapbooks, memory boards, and to put in the back of your phone case. The downside is that you have to buy more film each time and it's about $20 per 20 pictures in one pack. They are also super bulky to carry around, so if you just want the look and feel of one, but can’t afford to buy more film every 20 pictures you should go with a digital camera.
Cost: | $90 |
Quality: | Grainy, polaroid |
Power source: | 2 AA batteries |
Does it video: | Doesn’t video |
Is it compact: | Bulky and hard to travel with |
Colors offered: | Lilac, light blue, light pink, green, and white |
Memory life: | Fuji Film Intax mini instant film |
