Film Cameras Are Gen Z's Hottest 2025 Trend — Here's Why They're Ditching Digital

Iconic by design — the Canon AE-1. Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash.

By Jane Doe, Co-Founder at Reflexed • Last updated 13 June 2025

The #FilmCamera Takeover: More Than Just Nostalgia

If you've scrolled TikTok lately you've seen it: chunky Canons, pastel Pentaxes, grainy disposables. #FilmPhotography now tops 208 million uploads, and the price of cult point-and-shoots has nearly doubled since 2021. Film cameras are no longer retro curios—they're a status symbol and an antidote to algorithm fatigue.

Why Gen Z Fell in Love With Film

Imperfect Is In

After a decade of flawless phone pics, Gen Z is over perfection. Film's happy accidents and delayed gratification feel fresh.

Aesthetic Rules Everything

Blurry party shots, soft sunsets, unpredictable color shifts—flaws that become flexes.

Celebrity Fuel

Emma Chamberlain and Kendall Jenner post Olympus dump rolls; retailers can't keep MJU-II bodies in stock.

TikTok's #FilmPhotography Boom — By the Numbers

Buying a Film Camera: The Gen Z Way

• Peer-to-peer platforms like Reflexed—escrow-protected, low fees.
• Legacy sites & apps—huge inventory, higher risk of fakes and 15% fees.
• Thrift hunts—scoring a $15 Yashica is a flex, but test before you trust.

Things No One Tells You Before You Shoot Film

• "Light leaks" can be gold—or garbage.
• Test the flash before you buy.
• Fresh batteries add $100 to resale value.
• Each roll costs $12-$20 plus lab fees; plan your budget.
• Blur, dust, weird framing? That's the charm.

Why the Film Craze Is Here to Stay

Kodak is ramping production, Pentax is launching new bodies, and TikTok creators host real-world film-swap meet-ups. Shooting a roll is rebellion, mindfulness, and community—rolled into 36 frames.