A big problem with some older Nightvision Camcorders is that the Infra Red light they give off to produce a lit image in a pitch black location isn't strong enough, giving a dark, grainy image that is sometimes very hard to see. That's where IR torches become useful. If, for example, you're outside and want to light up somewhere where, perhaps, a noise had been heard, then an IR torch will be able to fully light up the area when viewed through the camcorder but whilst also keeping the area in darkness. Their only problem is that the batteries don't last too long, so they can't really be used to keep a continuous illumination for, say, a locked off camera. However, they're perfect for quickly checking out anything interesting without having to turn the lights on.