Compact cameras are experiencing a retro revival as demand increases by over 8,500% in the UK
From vinyl records to retro gaming consoles, some outdated technology is even more popular now than when it was first released.
And with TikTok hype driving sales of vintage gear, digital cameras have become the internet’s newest obsession.
Research by musicMagpie shows that flip phones, iPods and even Walkmans are all experiencing a sudden renaissance.
However, data shows that the Nikon Coolpix is the real must-have item – with Google searches for the camera increasing by more than 8,500 percent in Britain.
“The Y2K trend has taken the fashion world by storm and has now entered the technology industry,” according to musicMagpie.
Research has revealed that the Nikon Coolpix digital camera is perhaps the most sought-after piece of vintage technology, as searches increase by 8,500 percent year on year
While most phones take better photos than the Coolpix, the pink color and flip-phone-like design have made this a viral hit
Retro point-and-shoot cameras have become extremely popular recently.
Thanks in large part to TikTok’s ability to generate hype, the recently released Fujifilm X100VI was so popular that it nearly sold out everywhere upon release.
But while modern digital cameras boast impressive image quality, research from musicMagpie shows that vintage cameras are also seeing a spike in demand.
Some big celebrities are even joining the trend.
Kendall Jenner has shared photos of herself with vintage digital cameras, while TikTok star Charlie D’Amelio is known to have a large collection.
The Nikon Coolpix is by far the most sought-after piece of vintage technology, thanks to TikTok and eBay searches up more than 700 percent year on year.
The camera was released in 2005 and, despite being popular at launch, is hardly the best camera out there.
In fact, the phone in your pocket probably takes significantly better photos than the Coolpix!
The sudden resurgence of this unlikely trend probably has more to do with the new flip-phone-like design.
In fact, the researchers found that flip-open devices appear to be becoming increasingly popular across the board.
Of the six most popular vintage technologies, four have some sort of flipping action.
The Motorola RAZR flip phone has seen a 180 percent increase in searches on TikTok and a 148 percent increase on eBay.
Similarly, the Samsung flip phone has seen a 94 percent increase in Google searches year over year.
The Nintendo DS, the portable gaming device from 2004, has also seen an increase in demand as searches for the console have increased by 33 percent year-on-year.
MusicMagpie says vintage technology has become a surprising trend, with digital cameras, flip phones and even Sony Walkmans seeing a spike in popularity
However, the researchers also suggest that the success of the Nikon Coolpix and other devices may also be due to their color.
Pink is by far the most popular color for technology these days, perhaps due to the recent success of the spectacularly pink Barbie movie.
The researchers note that searches on TikTok for the color pink increased 488 percent year over year, while searches on eBay for the color increased 525 percent.
All the popular tech gadgets are available in pink, and this was the most popular colorway for both the Nikon Coolpix and Samsung flip phone.
On eBay, at the time of writing, Nikon Coolpix cameras in black or silver are selling for anywhere between £20 ($25) and £60 ($76), depending on their condition.
However, pink versions of the camera are routinely offered for around £150 ($178), which is only slightly cheaper than when it originally launched at £199 ($229).
The researchers say pink is the most popular color for vintage tech as searches for pink flip phones like this Motorola Razr increase year on year
These trends come as vintage technology experiences a more general resurgence, especially for music.
MusicMagpie’s research shows that TikTok searches for the Apple iPod Nano are up 49 percent, while eBay searches are up 42 percent.
These devices seem extremely basic by modern standards and lack any camera, apps or the ability to stream music.
In fact, the data points to the return of even older music formats, as eBay searches increased 79 percent in the past year with the Sony Walkman.
This comes at a time when vinyl record sales are at their highest point since the 1990s.
Experts suggest that the return to these older pieces of technology may be due to a phenomenon called “streaming fatigue.”
Simply put, listeners are now overwhelmed by the endless algorithmic curation of music and are returning to simpler systems.