technology
35 Percent of 42 Million Film Camera Users Worldwide Were Ages 18-30 in 2025
Gen Z interest has lifted analog photography, with disposable camera sales rising since 2023 and the first AnalogCon held in Los Angeles in April 2026. Data also show parallel growth in vinyl record purchases among the same age group.
Jul 14, 3:00 AM·1m read1 source
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In 2025, 35 percent of the 42 million active film camera users worldwide were between the ages of 18 and 30. Online searches for analog photography rose 41 percent in the year before 2025, and disposable camera sales have increased steadily since 2023.
Fortune reported that the photography journal PetaPixel named 2024 “film’s best year in decades,” citing new camera models from major brands and revived classic lines.
A 2024 Ilford Photo survey found more than 30 percent of respondents in the 25-34 age group. New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby used a disposable film camera to take a photo at the team’s victory rally on June 18, 2026, after the NBA Finals. The inaugural AnalogCon festival took place in Los Angeles in April 2026, organized by the Los Angeles Center of Photography.
The two-day event featured exhibitions, panels, demonstrations, and guided tours around Little Tokyo. By 2023, 51 percent of American teenagers reported spending at least four hours a day on social media. Music streaming accounts for 82 percent of industry revenue, yet vinyl record sales in the United States crossed the $1 billion mark in 2025, with nearly 60 percent of Gen Z now buying records.
