I have 2 of their IR lights, the same size as the non-IR visible light ones we are discussing. In nightshot mode on my little Sony knockabout camera, the difference between using the on camera light and the SIMA IR is almost like turning on a light switch in a small room. It's is just as impressive as the visible light model.

I decided to grab 4 lights and rig them up on my bracket rig (puts the lights up and to the sides of the camera on each side. Was testing my XR500V that just arrived (and it is amazing in low light!)

Close up, 2 lights is plenty good, and probably good for maybe 10-15 feet of throw, not a lot gained by adding more... for interviews, and that sort of shot, hard to beat.

I decided to shoot across my darkened garage and see what would happen - 1 light was weak, but helped the camera a lot, not really able to make it across the whole garage (around 30 feet, 3 car width). 2 again looked much better than 1, and adequate illumination for the most part, a bit of drop off to the outside left and right edges at the wide setting (16x9). Turning on two more lights that were mounted onto the first two lights but sticking out more to the side filled the sides very nicely, and illuminated everything in the frame to a level that was quite adequate.

I don't know that I'd want to have to look into the array, but it certainly lit the whole frame with no additional light... pretty even and I didn't see any color cast. Since the lights were spaced apart a bit, shadowing wasn't too bad either.

I'll still have to modify my diffusers a bit so they will work on the double light, but again, the bang for the $$ ratio is hard to beat on these little guys.

SO where is everyone buying these lights?

Norm

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