I JUST BOUGHT MY 1st 3CCD CAMERA
I can't belive I did it. I just bought the DVC80 after spending over a year saving and reading forums I finaly did it.
I have to say thanks to every one that helped me pick this camera out.
I am getting it from B&H and I am getting the 2 to 4 day shiping so it should be here next week.
I am so stoked.
hey has anyone from BC gotten anything shiped from the US ... what kind of duty is there, is it just 14% or is there more ?
thanks again everyone
Michael
soon to be owner of a DVC80

Congrats!
I ship lots of stuff in from the US. Are you using UPS? If so, be prepared for a $40+ brokerage fee on top of the duty. Some UPS shipping includes the brokerage, some doesn't. Purolator charges brokerage too. If you ship via the postal service, there is no brokerage. Not sure about FedEx.

I think it's 14% tax at the border.

There is no duty. You just pay the same taxes as as you would with buying something locally (in Vancouver). That would be 14.5% (7% GST + 7.5% PST).

Depending how it was shipped, you may or may not have to pay brokerage fees. How did you ship it?

I thought USPS brokerage is something like $8USD? Anyways, it's reasonable.

UPS is daylight robbery. My school bought a bunch of mini-DV tapes and the brokerage was around $40.

I got it shiped "UPS EXPEDITED" 2 to 4 days. I dont know if there will be a brokerage fee but i dont care it is to late now. I just want my camera !!!!

There should be no brokerage fee then, since it isn't regular ground service.

I just had a $40 item shipped from the US. I told the sender not to ship UPS but they did anyway. There was $7 in tax (fine), and $35 for UPSs brokerage fee, on top of UPS's $25 shipping cost. I told UPS to send it back, they said, OK, but it'll be another $25.
This has happened to me several times.

A friend of mine got it worse. His girlfriend in the US send him a NASCAR hat that cost $20 for Christmas via Purolator. She put the value as $25 or something (no tax on under $20 items), and paid them $25 for shipping to get it to him for Christmas. There was $3 in tax and a $30 brokerage fee. So the little $20 hat cost almost $80 (over $100cdn). Plus the best part... It arrived a week after Christmas.
None of these A-holes ever warn you that they will jack you up for brokerage, and when confronted as to why they do, but the postal service doesn't, they say "the government makes us do it". WHat BS.
Sorry for my anti shipping rant. I hate them so very very much.

FEDEX first, UPS second (other than normal ground), are the ones I trust, though it's always a darn good idea to have the item insured---especially with UPS, based on my sad experiences with them.

I'm happy for you, Michael. I hope you enjoy shooting with your DVC80 as much as I do mine.

After five weeks of getting to know the camcorder, I'm trying to get in the habit of using the manual zoom instead of servo, mainly to improve battery life. I have plenty of batteries -- 3 x 1600 mAh and 1 x 3000 mAh, but I'm conservative this way. Overall, the DVC80 is easy to use, well balanced in handheld shooting, and just plain looks cool. Oh, and the external microphone mount does a good job of isolating mics from the camera.

TJB

Well I just got up... it is my day off and i needed to sleep in. When I got up I ran over to my PC to check my order status and my email, here is what i found

Please be advised that your order cannot be processed due to
the following reason(s):


Unverifiable address

Please fax or E-mail a scanned image of a phone bill, utility bill or
driver license showing the "shipping address"

I dont have a scaner !!!!!! that is BS. so i called them and i got a recording saying please leave all your info and if you have not heard back in a day they everything is OK. what is that !! grrrr I am not worried about getting the camera i know that B&H are the sh*t and that they will not burn me but i hate having to jump through hoops

Thanks
Michael

So I have called and left a message telling them my name and order # and regave them my address plus I faxed a copy of my phone bill with my address on it to the number. I did both 12pm PST and my order still says "Processing". is there anything eles i can do?
Thanks
Michael

First I'd recommend taking a second to catch your breath. I know that it is frustrating to have a delay, but you just ordered the camera yesterday. You waited a year already; whats an extra day or two.

And don't worry -- B&H is a very respectable company (as you already know). They are only doing this for both your safety and theirs. When I ordered my DVC80 from them I also had to confirm my identity, because our home number is still listed under my wife's maiden name. I simply had to tell them the name that the number was listed under and everything was fine.

12 pm PST is 3 pm EST, which is pretty close to closing time (how hard do *you* work on Fridays? :D ) -- so your cam may not ship until Monday. IIRC, they do answer the phones on Saturday. Call them tomorrow and make sure that they got the fax. As always, get names -- who you are speaking to, whom to address the fax, etc. This will help you get a faster response (and it just sounds better than "Some guy told me to fax my info over to some guy there").

It also helps to use a credit card that has the same billing address as yout home, and to explain to B&H any discrepancies they find (like my wife's maiden name thing...)

Enjoy your DVC80!

thanks for the pep-talk. I know I have waited for the camera for over a year, but it seems like this last week is taking forever. Part of the deal I made with myself, is when I bought the camera, I would quit smoking. Now that I've bought it I have a lot of free time on my hands, because I've quit smoking (1and 1/2 days) smoke-free). I know b&h won't burn me, I know they're making sure that I am who I am. But this stinkin anticipation is killing me. I swear to god time itself is going backwards. Maybe I'm being a little melodramatic, or maybe its the withdrawal. So if b&h is open tommoroow I can call and confirm that they recieved my fax, and have satisfaction to know that there is a person at the other end of this transaction, and its not a faceless company.
thanks again,
still jonseing
Michael

You sure they answer the phones on Saturday? I'm looking at my B&H lighting catalog and it says they're closed. They're open Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. They close at 1 p.m. on Fridays, by the way.

The good folks at B&H are people of faith. They always observe the Shabat, or Sabbath, which begins at sundown on Friday through all of Saturday. However, they are open on most Sundays! Here's their holiday schedule (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=RootPage.jsp&A=getpage&Q=holidayschedule.jsp) for 2004. Hope this helps,

Not to get too meta here, but I must concede that Marco and Chris are correct -- it was a Sunday that I spoke to B&H on, not a Saturday. And yes, they are very much "of the faith," so do make note of their hours.

(and on an even more meta note, consider the fact that the transaction isn't over until you get the camera -- so calm your nerves with a couple of smokes until next week, when the cam is in your hands. Once you get your DVC80 you'll be far too busy to even worry about cigarrettes!)

back to OOPS.. I mean UPS.. ITs not to late. When it come in, if you live somewhere near the airport where it comes in, go pick it up. They will phone you when it comes and ask you if you want them to do the Brokerage. Say no, and you can go pick it up at the airport from customs... you just gotta fill out a short form and pay the GST (PST if you bought it personally) That will save you thier $35 brokerage fee.. its robbery. Sometimes you can get lucky and they will deliver the item first and then phone you later in the day with the same question, say no and they cant do much, in fact this happend on a shipment 2 weeks ago to me in Vancouver from BH. You just get a bill sent to you from customs that doesnt have the fee.

Congrats on the quitting smoking!

First thing to do when you get your camera...set it up on a tripod, plug in a battery to charge, get youself a pot of coffee, or six pack of whatever, and spend some serious quality time with the manual.

B&H works on Sunday -- but if you don't, that's a perfect time to follow Bill's excellent advice above. Spend a Sunday morning or afternoon with nothing else but you, the camera, the manual and your choice of beverage. Read, play and drink without distractions (hopefully you're not too much of a football fan). That's the key to learning the thing quickly.

Yes.. and when you take your camera out of the box and rock it back and forth that clicking sound is normal... dont have a heart attack like most people do. They should put a big sticker on the camera stating that.

What is it with UPS and Vancouver? I had to exchange a part with Cavision, and UPS's system kept insisiting that the address was invalid.

That's Big Brown, not B&H.

From what I've heard, UPS Vancouver has problems. I heard this from a UPS rep. I have a long list of complaints with UPS, that's why when I do use them, I do 3 things:[list=1] I don't use ground. I insure the full value. Or I go with FEDEX instead---costs more, but I never yet had any problems using FEDEX.[/list=1]

Yep, though my brother-in-law drives truck for UPS, it has been much to my dismay that B&H switched back. I love FedEx. They're quicker too.

Well I just called B&H, the reason that there was a issue was because that we just moved and our phone # did not match the address they had (they are using a 411 web site to confirm people's phone # with their address). Now as far as UPS, you guy's are going to kill me !!! LOL. I cant wait next week hopefully by Friday. I have booked 3 days off and I am going to sit and test every switch and read the manual cover to cover. I am going to but a mic when it gets here and then I have to figure out what I am going to spend my 100.00 Gift certificate on. if you have any recommendations I am all ears

thanks again for all your help
Michael M

They'll do that on major purchases to avoid fraud. It''s for your benefit too. $100 hmmmm? Lots of things...LCD hood comes to mind for starters!

$100 gift cert would be good for getting a decent shock mount for your future mic purchase. AT8415 with the hot shoe adapter maybe.

Do you have a link for the AT8415? I'd like to look at a pic, etc.

I use one with my AT822. It's quite nice, but the Beyerdynamic BEEA86 is great for hot shoes.

www.audiotechnica.com/guide/other/misc/mounts/index.html

So I have been checking the B&H web site to see if it has been shiped ... no luck. does anyone know how long it takes B&H to "Process" a order ? The reson i am asking is because i want to take a few days off when it gets here.

Everything I've bought from B&H that they have in stock, I usually get in 2 days, unless I pay extra for overnight Fedex. They usually say 2-4 days, but stuff has always got here in 2. That may depend on where you are or what the item is. Once I called them at around 2 in the afternoon on an emergency order of daylight bulbs and had my order the next morning (big Fedex charge, however).

Michael,
Man, you're having the worst luck. I've never had a problem with B&H. I placed an order online Sunday and its already posted. UPS hasn't scanned it yet though. They're trucks often seem to be ahead of the computer.

Naaaa
I don't think it is their fault I made the order on Thursday night and Friday they told me there was a issue with my address (I should have called them that day but did not) I could not call Sat. (they are closed) so i called on Sunday got it all worked out ... (They were very nice) and they shipped at the end of business day Monday so it is all good. Now I hope UPS gets here in the 4 days like they say they will. I am taking off 3 days around the weekend so I can get to know my new baby..
Thanks
Michael

PS the order says that there is a total of 2 boxes
I only order a camera what is in the other box ??
maybe it is the $100.00 Gift Card
here is the link

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=277532&is=REG

Thanks, Scott.

B&H operates out of two warehouses now. They will spit an order up when parts come from different warehouses. I would have guessed that you got an accessory like a battery that was in another warehouse....but you indicate not.

Frank,

The AT does come with a hot shoe adapter. The Beyerdynamic has the hot shoe molded in, and it is 1/4-20 threaded, so you can use a tripod or whatever for a mic stand.

Both are handy in the arsenal.

WOooooo HOooooo
It landed in Canada. It will have to pass through customs and then delivered to me ... I am dying here, I have ben watching UPS tracking like a hawk. plus this weekend the weather is supposed to be sunny :)
hehehehehe
Michael M

I just cant figure out what is in the 2nd box though ???

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is here and in my hands... wow is thing SEXY !!!!
I am going to sit down and read the manual and play with the camera but 1st i have to charge the battary and then charge the internal battary...

I do have one question if anyone knows ... does B&H have a physical gift card or is there something eles. when i bought the camera it said that it came with a $100.00 gift card but there was nothing in the box but a bunch of receipts. If anyone has any info please let me know
thanks
Michael

What was in the second box?

nope there was no 2nd box... on the way bill it has written

"* items with this indication will have additional quantity shipped from our other warehouse."

and there is a * beside the GC (gift card). do you think that they have sent it separately ?
I was hoping to get it because i wanted to get ether a CGR-D28 Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (7.2v, 3600mAh) or a Pelican 1500 with the pic and pluck foam

Should I will call them tomorrow to see what is up ?

Michael

Michael,

I bought a TRV33 a few weeks ago from B&H and it also had a $50 gift card. The card is a physical card and it was shipped separately from the camera. It comes in a little cardboard box and was shipped by by First Class USPS (not UPS).

cool thanks,
that makes me feel better. was there a big diffrence in time between the shipments ?

Well I'm in the U.S. so the gift card actually arrived before the camera did (First Class U.S. Postal Service is generally faster than 3-5 day UPS). But the camera came a day or two later.

hey, did you ever end up having to pay duty, brokerage or taxes on your order?

Sorry i forgot to post about that stuff

I had to pay the 14.5% sales tax for BC but there was no extra charge from UPS they just took a check and said thanks.

I still have not received my $100.00 GC and i was to busy today to call so if it does not show up tomorrow then i will call B&H to see what is up.

thanks
now i am off to play with my baby

PS
does anyone know types of direct to harddrive recorders there are out there?

Chris you took the words right out of my mouth, B&H are never open on Friday evening or anytime on Saturday. But their website is open 24/7, and I have used it many times to order gear when it's "dark-thirty." Which reminds me, I gotta go on their website and get me a HTIB for my kitchen TV...can't stand listening to the ratty little speakers in the TV set any more.

Of course there are occasions where you need to talk to somebody live, like when Michael had questions.

Shabat Shalom in advance, y'all.

BTW, Michael, check out the Laird Telemedia "CapDiv" recorder, supposedly a pretty hot item for around $1300 USD. Oh yeah, and ship it Fedex, I never have the tiniest little problem with them.

Second box should be the $100 gift card. At least that's how mine came.

It's a plastic card, all in it's own little cardboard box. Card has a 16 digit number and a PIN that you enter to get discount on future B/H order.