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Text / Kagura
Source/Understanding Note (ID:dongdong_note)
Nowadays, smartphones in the hands of many young people can meet the needs of office work, games, listening to songs and watching TV shows, and can make everyone a photographer through powerful shooting functions.
As a result, many people have completely forgotten what a digital camera looks like. However, during this period of time, the CCD card machine, which has disappeared for many years, has become popular again, and has even become a “upstart” on some short video platforms.
Some netizens believe that the CCD card machine is another nostalgic electronic product that has set off the Internet “Renaissance” after the film machine.
Searching for “CCD camera” on the mainstream e-commerce platform, you can find a large number of second-hand CCD card machine products, and the sales are good. Among them, the card machines with higher sales have the words “monthly sales of 3000+” and “100,000 spelled”. Even for products with low sales, at least “100+ people receive the goods”.
Relevant industry sources revealed that the reason why the CCD card machine can become popular again is inseparable from the “strength to bring goods” of stars such as Ouyang Nana, Yi Yang Qianxi and Shen Yue. On some short video platforms, a large number of fashion bloggers and digital players’ “grass planting” articles and shopping guides have turned the long-obsolete CCD card machine into an “electronic antique”, which can be said to have doubled in value. Machines are hard to find.
Then, who bought the “resurrected” CCD card machine? Behind the double rise in value and the hard-to-find machine, is there an unknown industry chaos hidden? After the CCD card machine, what will be the next popular “electronic antique”?
A retro trendy product aimed at Generation Z?
“I don’t think there is any comparison between CCD card cameras and film cameras.” Talking about the popularity of CCD card cameras, Yang Qing, a post-90s veteran photography enthusiast, felt a little incredible. Regarding the opinions thrown by some bloggers—— The CCD card machine can produce the quality of the film machine, and it is the “replacement” of the “one bad one less” film machine. He even said that it is difficult to agree.
Senior LOMO player Jiezi also said that although the current smartphone photography functions are very powerful, no matter how advanced the algorithm is, it is difficult to shoot with an “authentic” film feel. In this regard, many photography enthusiasts born in the 80s and 90s, including him, feel the same way, and everyone also has the habit of buying and collecting film cameras.
“The imaging principle of CCD is similar to that of film, but the photo effect is completely different, especially the small bottom CCD.” Yang Qing emphasized that it is a fact that digital cameras using CCD components have full colors, but the premise is that the shooting light is sufficient. Due to the poor sensitivity of the CCD camera, the photos taken under the condition of low light are often terrible.
As for the so-called film feeling, it does not exist on the CCD card machine. The so-called film feeling refers to the fact that the film machine uses different films to take pictures, and different colors will appear due to the differences in the photosensitive materials of the films, thus showing different and specific styles. Many photographers who play LOMO believe that the characteristics of this film machine are that CCD cameras cannot have.
“If CCD components are very useful, they will not be eliminated by manufacturers and replaced by CMOS components.” Yang Qing found that his peers, whether photography enthusiasts or not, did not collect CCD cameras. As for the online shopping for second-hand CCD card machines, most of them are “Generation Z” who have passed the CCD era.
On Zhihu, many netizens have asked whether it is wise to spend a few hundred yuan on an old CCD card machine. Among the netizens who consulted, many claimed to be “third-party in high school”, “college students”, and “post-00s”. On the e-commerce platform, the product titles of some CCD card machines are even labeled as “student cameras” and “campus retro”.
When I communicated with a merchant selling second-hand digital products online, the other party admitted that almost all consumers who bought old CCD card machines in the store were post-95s and post-00s. Some celebrities and bloggers “plant grass” CCD cameras, which also makes “Gen Z” who have never owned or touched a CCD card camera full of curiosity.
Just as some post-90s generation collect radios and CD players as “electronic antiques”, CCD card players have also become a nostalgic fashion item in the minds of some “Gen Z” under the hype of some speculators.
In addition, the reason why the CCD card machine can become popular is also related to the nostalgic and retro trend concept of the current “Gen Z”. Trends are always reincarnated, and a music list released by a social platform also shows that the current favorite singer of “Generation Z” is Jay Chou, who was popular at the same time as CCD card machines.
In recent years, nostalgic style and retro style have become the marketing passwords for many brands to grasp the consumer demand of “Gen Z”; products such as mid-century and second luxury are also popular among “Gen Z” groups. Compared with film machines with retro labels, CCD cameras are more convenient and affordable.
Not long ago, JD.com released sales data showing that in the first half of 2022, the sales of CCD cameras increased by 15 times year-on-year, and the number of CCD cameras purchased by “Gen Z” increased by 20 times year-on-year.
It is right to adapt to user needs, but in the face of this increase in consumer demand, there have also been many market chaos in the industry.
The original one is hard to find, and imitations and fakes are flowing
“The original CCD card machines that can be bought now are in poor condition.”
Lao Xie, who runs a photographic equipment store in Dashatou, Guangzhou, revealed that in the first half of this year, the CCD card machine suddenly became popular, and the demand increased sharply. Young people and second-hand e-commerce sellers often came to the flea market and photographic equipment market to buy CCD card machine.
For Lao Xie, who has been operating professional photographic equipment for many years, the store usually does not have many CCD card machines in stock. To find a newer CCD card machine, buyers and speculators usually can only rely on the nearby digital used goods stores. “But the number is also very limited. After all, who would have thought that this thing would suddenly become popular.”
Although the CCD card machine was really popular for a while from 2002 to 2006, due to the high price at that time, ordinary consumers also needed to go through a “thought struggle” before spending two or three thousand yuan to buy a consumer-grade CCD card machine. “.
Lao Xie explained that domestic CCD cameras from well-known brands such as Canon, Nikon, and Sony do not have many CCD cameras. In the past, most of the relatively new card machines sold on individual e-commerce platforms were purchased from overseas, and their prices were naturally relatively high, at least 300 to 400 yuan per set.
“But now the demand is huge, and a big brand CCD camera can be sold for five, six hundred or even thousands, and overseas shopping can’t satisfy it. Many merchants can only recycle the ones with poor color, and then refurbish them and sell them, and they can earn two or three. Hundreds of them.” Lao Xie pointed out that most of the card machines currently on sale online are refurbished.
“For some CCD card machines, the Sony and Canon logos on the shell are even more fake.” In his opinion, not to mention that CCD card machines are obsolete products of the times, and most of the current CCD card machines are also refurbished by speculators. Does not have any collectible value.
“The volume of used goods is so large, and it is not easy to find a CCD card machine with poor color quality to refurbish now.” According to Lao Xie, seeing that the price of CCD card machine is getting higher and higher, the demand for follow-up consumption is growing. Some speculators couldn’t sit still and started to make white card or even copycat card machines.
He said that at present, on individual e-commerce platforms, almost all CCD card machines priced around 200 yuan are white-label and copycat products produced by small workshops in Shenzhen and Dongguan. As for the picture quality of the photos, it can only be seen at best. “Some colleagues were curious and dismantled a white card machine, which is completely a low-end driving recorder with a new shell. It’s too pit!”
Similar products, even if sold at low prices, still have at least 50% profit. At the moment when the consumer demand for CCD card machines is hot, some speculators can say that they are making crazy money, whether they are refurbished machines, white-label machines or copycat machines.
However, the CCD card machine market is flooded with refurbished, copycat and white-brand products. Don’t consumers care?
Lao Xie believes that the current popularity of CCD card machines is different from the previous wave of film machines and LOMO. At least, many people who collect film machines have taken a fancy to its special photo imaging style.
As for those who buy CCD card machines, most of them are young consumers who have never experienced the popularity of the millennium card machine. They do not have real feelings. Therefore, it seems that the card machine itself is not so important. “And with so many fakes, the trend will soon pass.”
What is the next wave of popular “electronic antiques”?
From the hot sale of film machines to the popularity of today’s CCD card machines, many businesses have seen the potential of retro consumption. Although the current consumer demand for CCD card machines is very large, some businesses have already begun to look for the next wave of retro fashion items.
“If I had started selling CCD cameras last year, I might have made more money, so it’s better to discover the trend as soon as possible.” Lya, born in the 1990s, is a professional e-commerce businessman. As early as half a year ago, she smelled the business opportunity of CCD cameras, It began to acquire card machines from individual users on second-hand e-commerce platforms.
However, the blowout demand quickly wiped out the dozen or so old cameras she acquired. As a last resort, she can only go to the second-hand market to scan the goods, while selling white card machines. When she registered the online store on the e-commerce platform, she did not forget to add the word “CCD camera” to her name.
“But thinking about it now, the layout is small, and I plan to change the name of the store to cover all retro digital products.” Lya admitted that the current “Gen Z” is still in high spirits to buy retro digital products, and she learned that many “bad guys” are starting to look for them. The next wave of retro digital products that could break out.
In her opinion, it was popular in the 1990s or the millennium, and most of the post-80s and post-90s have come into contact with them, but the “Gen Z” only heard about a few digital products that they have never used, such as smart products. The MP3 replaced by the mobile phone, or the red and white machine in the early years.
“Now I have acquired Microsoft Zune and Apple Nano, which are all classic MP3 players.” Meizu MP3, which was once known for its sound quality, is also the focus of her acquisition. At the same time, Lya also found that some “fathers” also began to acquire the feature phones of Nokia, Sony Ericsson and BlackBerry in the early years.
Since they have tasted the sweetness of the CCD card machine, many speculators and “fathers” have begun to wait for the consumption trend of the next electronic retro wave.
It’s just that the CCD card machine is recommended by stars such as Ouyang Nana and Yi Yang Qianxi, and it is easy to become popular. How can other outdated digital products “cultivate” business opportunities?
Lya revealed that if there are people who are willing to operate, they can go to the grass planting platform and short video platform to package the concept and form a consumption boom. She took the feature phone that has been declining for a long time as an example. At present, many speculators have turned it into an “executive power artifact” and “net quitting tool” on some short video platforms.
The MP3 player has become synonymous with “respect for music” and sound quality first. In the eyes of some speculators and “fathers”, as long as they stick to the retro and nostalgic label, they can more or less control the consumption trend of “Generation Z”. After that, it is natural to gamble on luck.
According to QuestMobile data, “Generation Z” users are gradually becoming the main consumption force, and the online high consumption potential is large. The proportion of users with online spending power of more than 2,000 yuan reaches 30.8%. And the pursuit of “quality-price ratio” and “personalization”.
Retro and nostalgic just fit the unique and individual consumption concept of “Gen Z” users. For “Gen Z”, medieval digital products are an alternative and distinctive consumption experience.
It is difficult for many players in the market to explain why the CCD card machine is so popular at the moment, but what is certain is that this will never be the last “electronic antique” that has become popular, as long as electronic waste still exists in the warehouse, more Multiple routines will target Gen Z’s desire to pay for feelings.
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