Ross...image stabilizer does help in panning photography...it's just that you need to switch off horizontal stabilization, leaving just the vertical one
works like a charm...unfortunately I can't afford a lens with that setting...yet
Night shots...hmm my gallery from Parage of Power in Wellingborough was shot pretty much after dark but it's not that easy to tell because I used ISO 1600 (which your camera does have Ragz) and slightly lower shutter (1/500 as far as I remember...and f 4.5) to get the most brightness out. I did get a lot of noise thought but Photoshop does miracles in some cases.
Marcin Gwozdz Photography check it out.
Regards,
Marcin