greetings freeman, if you want top notch pro pano's i would say it was essential, also L bracket, quick release plate, and compatibility with your existing tripod, key factor is centre of lense must be top dead centre to the axis of rotation on tripod, always keeep frame in the vertical/portrait mode,.
reasoning,.,.,. if there are any details in the foreground, ie, boulders, water, branches, the software in photomerge will find it near impossible to make a flawless seam,.
I've been thinking about buying a nodal slide to do this sort of thing but perhaps it is not necessary. Excellent work and a very nice image Art. Regards, Freeman
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