IR lamps are used for total dark or low light viewing for a camera. They are just like a flash light but only invisible to human eye. All B/W cameras are IR sensitive and to some color D/N cameras. Lower the lux level for the camera, more sensitive they are to a IR signal. However, these IR lamps glow red, so for a covert operation, place it high above, hidden, pointing at the ceiling for a indirect IR illumination.