The Great Video Camera Fiasco

It’s no big secret that I am in the process of working on accomplishing my dream of becoming a filmmaker. As an independent college student, I have the chance to get extra money from my school loans. Using those leftover funds, I decided to invest in my future. I bought the camera that I plan to use for a selection of internet features, short films, and even a few ideas I have for features and documentary works.

After searching for a camera within my limited price range, I discovered a Sony camera I wanted. It was pretty good for it’s price range. It was a few years old, and it had potential. So, after receiving my loan money, I looked on Amazon for my camera. I ended up discovering a higher quality Sony camera for a lower price. It had been used only once or twice by a filmmaker who had upgraded to a much bigger, more expensive system, and it offered a bunch of bonuses for buying it Like New.

Here is the camera in question:

The person selling this camera, a Sony HVR-V1U 3-CMOS 1080i Professional HDV Camcorder, was offering it with a brand new, padded carrying case, a set of mini discs for recording and, all necessary cables including Firewire. It was an amazing deal for the same price I’d pay for the lesser camera (around $2500) and I would also get a carrying case worth at least $100. I just couldn’t beat this deal.

I had not received my money when I first found this on Amazon. I kept vigil over the camera. I was on winter break and I just knew someone else was going to snatch up this camera, but no one did. Finally, when I received my money, I put it in my mother-in-law’s bank. I first sent the money from the bank account to the Paypal. Paypal said it will take up to five business days. I ended up biting my fingernails the entire time.

On day four, the transfer is rejected. Because the name on Ash’s Paypal is the name of our business, Literary Illusions, the bank refuses to transfer money there. We try to get Paypal to change the name to Ashtyn’s on the incoming transfer name, but no dice. So, we are back to square one and the camera is miraculously still on Amazon.

Next, I tried to pay directly using the bank account information on Amazon. I put in the tracking and routing numbers and the transaction appears to be completed. Amazon’s email to me says the camera has been purchased, so I am elated, finally thinking that I am going to get my camera. Boy am I wrong! I had a few thousand dollars in the bank, but nobody seemed to want to take said money from me.

A few hours later, I received an email saying the transaction didn’t go through. Mom in law called her bank and they said Amazon’s bank account service partner never even put the transaction through to the bank (which is actually a credit union, but whatever). I called Amazon and they thought I might have mis-entered the information. I tried the purchase again and it went through again, but a few hours later, I was rejected again.

I contacted the seller, to tell him how badly I wanted this camera. He didn’t have any other way to accept a payment. Unfortunately I had to figure out how to get Amazon to work or I could choose to accept that I was never gonna have the camera I wanted. I called Amazon back. They gave me the number for their banking partner. They said my only other option was to buy Amazon gift cards.

I called the bank transfer company, but because I paid online and was not asked for a check number, I became trapped in an automated system loop. I tried to call three or four times and pressed different buttons to try to get to an operator, but no dice. By now, I was miserably upset. Like a good girlfriend, Ash took action. She had me call local stores to find Amazon gift cards.

The only problem was that they only sell them in $25, $50 and $100 increments. You can add all the cards up and buy as many as you need, so we decided this was the best option. In the meantime, the camera was back up for sale and it was now priced a few hundred dollars cheaper. I was down to the wire in buying it because the seller really wanted to sell it!

I called Rite Aid, VGs (Spartan/Food Town owned), Kroger, Target, you name it. The Rite Aid around the corner had some, but not enough. The VGs had some, but not enough. Another Rite Aid a town over had some, too. Did I mention it was snowing and the roads were slick? The mother in law drove to all three of them. I added up totals and between the three stores we would have enough. I called the stores and told them to put their cards to the side and to expect Ash.

I constantly called Ash, the stores, checked Amazon, called Ash again, added up card amounts as she bought them, etc. Finally, two hours later, due to bad roads, Ash returned with 52 Amazon gift cards, mostly $50 cards. We had to put all 52 cards into Amazon one by one. Some were stubborn and the numbers were hard to read. Finally, we had entered all the redeemable gift card numbers…and I purchased the camera.

Needless to say, it was an adventure. The camera is here and I can’t wait to use it. Now, let’s hope I don’t have to do this the next time I buy a camera!

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