Sunsets are by their nature changing and dynamic. I'm sure that you can find as many opinions regarding this as their are sunsets. I find that I need a filter for a sun that is almost setting then go clear for a setting sun. This means that I am constantly changing camera settings as well. Shoot...
I'm on LI as well, near Huntington .. I'm considering upgrading to the X5, would be very interesting to see it in person. Yours is the first comment regarding gimbal noise from the x5 that I've come across in my research.