Just a thought about the smooth pan and foot movement. If you could extend the handle on your tripod so you could stand well clear of the legs and tripod handle, this might allow a smoother pan especially in the center of the pan where you might have to stepback to allow the handle to pass in front of you. I tried this as a dry run (no camcorder running) and found that if I attached the extended handle to one finger on one hand with a rubber band, I could achieve about 180 degrees with what seemed like a smooth pan. Not a scientific study but might be headed in the right direction.Certainly would take some practice to allow for close to perfection. Hope this helps.
