Hi Leo,
Video chatting with someone you met on a dating site before meeting up is actually a really good idea. Yes, some people feel odd about it, just like you did initially.
But, as you discovered, it just takes a little getting used to and you realize just how beneficial it is. If more people video chatted before meeting, it would save a lot of complaints about a lack of chemistry.
As awful as the pandemic has been, more video chatting is something good that has come out of it. Just like you, more and more people on dating apps are video chatting today and it will most likely continue even after the pandemic is over.