CompuServe Messages

I'm trying to decide which camcorder to buy and I solicit advice from anyone with an opinion about the three cameras I'm considering. The camera will be used to record scenes that will be a part of tapes that are distributed on VHS cassettes to the consumer market. Some of what will be shot may be used by cable, but it's unlikely it would ever need to be used by a TV station. The candidates: The Panasonic AG-455U, the Canon L2 and the Sony CCD-VX3. The AG-455U is sold through the professional channel and I'm told by some people that I should use a pro level camera even though it is only a one-chip camera. It's inexpensive ($1,700-1,800 new) and the tape format (S-VHS) may be better for editing than Hi8. The Canon L2 is an expensive consumer-level camera. It's just a one-chip camera, but it costs more than $3,000 new. I've heard and read good things about it, but I don't understand why it's so much more expensive than the 455U if it's "just a consumer camera." The VX-3 is also supposed to be a consumer-channel camera — at least it's not sold by the professional channel. It's also more expensive than the 455U (around $3,000 new). It's a three-chip camera, but I'm told it doesn't handle low-light situations as well as the other two cameras I want to get something I'm going to be happy with, but I'd also like to save some money. Will I be happy with the 455U? Or should I pay more money for a camera sold by the consumer channel? If the 455U is not the right choice, which of the other two is the better choice? Since the L2 is more expensive than the VX-3, I wonder what features are missing in the VX-3 to make it less expensive and still have three chips rather than the one-chip of the L2. (BTW, I'm interested in used versions of any of these, so keep in mind that in the case of the L2, I'd be just as interested in the L1 (or the LX-100 or LX-200), although I've read that the L1 and LX-100 don't have the time code the L2 and LX-200 have.) One last thing. Several people have told me that when you buy consumer-level equipment, you always end up "paying for it" at some point. Is this true? Are there things about the pro (or prosumer) equipment that make it worth sticking with somehow? Also, if you have other suggestions for models other than these, I'd be interested. Thanks in advance for any help. David