Gen Z's new obsession: tiny camera keyrings that take us back to the early 2000s
If there was one gadget every cool kid wanted in the early 2000s, it was a digital camera.
Whether you were documenting sleepovers, school trips, house parties or family holidays, there was something so exciting about snapping hundreds of photos before rushing home to upload them onto the family computer and filling Facebook albums with every single shot.
Sure, half of them were blurry, someone was always pulling a weird face or had red eyes, and there were at least 20 accidental pictures of the floor.
That was all part of the fun, though.
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Fast forward to 2026, and Gen Z sudden love for digital cameras has brought them back. Only this time, they’re small enough to clip onto your keys.
Mini camera keyrings are quickly becoming this summer’s must-have accessory, combining all the nostalgia of our favourite Y2K gadgets with the convenience of always having a camera to hand.
The tiny cameras don't just look cute clipped onto your handbag or keys either.
They actually work, allowing you to take photos and record videos wherever you go, before transferring them to another device to relive all those perfectly imperfect moments later.
If you’ve been looking for a fun way to document festivals, girls’ trips and summer holidays without reaching for your phone every five minutes, these tiny cameras might just be your new obsession.
If you're ready to embrace the trend, we've found three mini camera keyrings that are available to shop now:
KODAK CHARMERA Digital Camera Keychain
£34.99
Photo Creator Mini Cam Keychain
£7.99
MaxMango Mini Digital Camera
£23.99
Why is everyone suddenly obsessed with mini camera keyrings?
If it feels like the early 2000s are back, you're not imagining it.
We've already welcomed back low-rise jeans, flip phones, ballet pumps, and jelly sandals, so it was probably only a matter of time before digital cameras made a return, too.
But rather than digging an old camera out of a drawer, some people are opting for miniature versions that double up as keyrings.
The trend has gained serious momentum after Kodak's Charmera camera went viral, inspiring a wave of similar mini cameras that deliver the same nostalgic experience.
Rather than producing ultra-sharp, perfectly edited images that you’d take on smartphones, these cameras embrace the grainy, slightly unpredictable aesthetic that so many of us grew up with.
It's exactly that lo-fi look that's become part of their appeal.
There's something oddly exciting about not checking every single photo the second you've taken it. Instead of taking 37 versions of the same selfie until you get the perfect one, you're left with genuine moments that feel much more authentic.
The nostalgic accessory you'll actually use
As well as feeding our collective Y2K obsession, mini camera keyrings are surprisingly practical.
As they're so lightweight, you can clip one onto your handbag, keys or even your festival lanyard and take it everywhere.
Most of the mini cameras currently available can take photos and record short videos.
They work using memory cards to store your memories digitally before you transfer them to another device.
They're incredibly simple to use, too, making them a fun alternative to carrying around a bulky camera.
While they won't replace your smartphone, that's not really the point.
Maybe you've captured the perfect golden hour sunset. Maybe it's an out-of-focus photo of your friend pulling a face. Either way, those slightly wonky, low-fi snaps feel far more reminiscent of the early 2000s than anything your phone's camera roll can produce.
For millennials, it's a chance to relive one of the best bits of growing up. For Gen Z, it's another way to embrace the Y2K aesthetic that's showing no signs of slowing down.
Rosie Floyd