Panoramic photo questions

I have a couple of questions for those who take panoramic pictures.

1. I was looking at buying a panoramic camera like a Hasselblad x-pan. With digital cameras now with 21 mega pixls, which camera will take a better shot. I mean with programs like photo stitch and digital cameras, do you even really need a panoramic camera?

2. Where would you get a large panoramic picture developed? Sizes like 22.5 x 60 and 11 x 30?

3. Has anyone used one of the high tech panoramic manfrotto heads? Looks really cool, but are they really needed?

I shoot panoramas hand held and/or using a cheaper tripod, no need to get fancy in that respect.

Don't limit yourself to shooting in one plane, combine vertical as well as horizontal images.
You've heard of spray 'n pray action photographers, I'm kinda the same way with panoramas using AI servo in burst.

Most of my images are landscape and I don't use a wide angle lens.
I haven't found a wide angle lens that can give me the IQ of a 135mm photomerged image.

Never tried any software other than PS CS3 for photomerge, works for me.

PS Just got a Ds3 for this work.

That being said, it is IMHO!

Just how big do you need to print?

Get MASSIVE poster prints!

I would love to have the pictures somewhere around say 24 to 36 inches long, and say 9 to 12 inches high. I would just like it to be able to be framed and look nice. I was just wondering where you might send a digital copy to be printed and how much something like that would cost.