What goes around, comes around – and this is certainly true in photography, as vintage cameras as much as 100 years old have seen a 1600% surge in sales over the summer months.
It's not just luxury names like Bronica and Leica cameras, either; classic Kodak cameras and Polaroid cameras are also among the old-school analogs, all of which have seen retailers like Vintage Cash Cow in England expand inventory by five times the normal capacity in order to keep up.
"We've upped our camera consignment levels from under 100 in January to over 500 over the last two months," says Brittney Green-Asquith, auction coordinator at Vintage Cash Cow, a specialist reseller of antiques, valuables and unwanted vintage items.
So what is driving this incredible wave of interest in vintage cameras? We've known for years that retro cameras like the Fujifilm X100VI and Nikon Zf have captured the hearts of photographers, while film cameras like the Pentax 17 are giving 35mm a new lease of life, and Gen Yers are taking photos on digital cameras from the 2000s and old 4MP iPhones to get the throwback look.
The force behind the true vintage camera trend, though, seems to be weddings.
"There's been an astonishing increase in demand for retro cameras in recent months, driven largely by couples looking to remember their special day with a touch of nostalgia," notes Green-Asquith.
"The appeal of timeless images especially resonates with brides and grooms who want their photos to stand out.
"Undoubtedly spurred on by a growing appreciation across the board for all things vintage, the trend is a great example of old meeting new to create something truly special."
I can attest that a number of my pro friends who shoot weddings also keep a Hasselblad or Mamiya in their kit bag to take some "prestige shots" for the happy couple.
Not only does this enable them to get photos with unique analog qualities, but it also adds to the perceived value of a wedding shoot. When the happy couple see a "big fancy old camera" come out, they feel like they're getting true value and something extra special.
While I'm always thrilled to see film cameras revived, this renewed interest does of course push up prices of old camera bodies – though it does mean that, if you've got an analog camera gathering dust, now is a pretty good time to get a good price for it.
"If you have any old cameras lying around, then it's worth taking a closer look and speaking to an expert about their value, you never know how much they might be worth," concludes Green-Asquith.
For classic-looking cameras with modern mirrorless features, take a look at the best Fujifilm cameras and the best Olympus / OM System cameras.
