$6 Diffusing Tape vs. $100 Veil Reflection/Night Shot Images

^ Definitely, thank you for your candor and honesty with the results! :)

Indeed, VEIL'ing the plates is not something that's viable for all of us. That's definitely a personal-preference as well as, of course, enforcement-practice related concern. This was a very valid concern for you to cite.

Similarly, I think you also did well to point out that LaserShield isn't a viable option "across the board" for many here, either. Many areas have laws specifically forbidding such coverings, even if they are just cosmetic and totally clear/transparent "dust/weather" covers. Certainly, use of the tape would be a very, very good way - it seems - to cut down on laser return.

Again, thank you for your time spent in-testing as well as in making these posts, and also thank you for your candor and honesty in addressing our concerns and in posting your results! Good stuff! 8) :)

I'll have the pictures tomorrow, using my brothers camera, his is more clearer anyway

onefastzx9r,

Don't completely discount the efficacy of the lasershield. While its mechanism for reducing lidar reflection is different from Veil, this does not mean its not effective in its own way.

Years ago, thestaton (Mike) and I ran some tests (one of the first to actually document via video on the web, actually) with Veil and the lasershield together - Veil on the lights and the LS on the front plate - and, indeed, the lasershield was able to reduce capture range to about 600+ feet on a front plate and a bit better when Veil was applied to it (one light coat only) - down from about 2000 feet, untreated. This proved to be about the same as a Veil'd plate cover, while providing a less obvious appearance (not as dark) on the plate.

There is some video to document these findings...I need to come up with an appropriate link for you to see for yourself.

Veil Guy 8)

These are some preliminary results, I found out that more light in night mode is required to get the full effect of the Veil, I'll have to wait until I have access to another camera, but Veil should be the darkest although the pictures say otherwise. Doesn't matter its not like I'm putting it on my plate anyway. The laser shield has no effect like the Veil, the diffusing tape has some effect but nothing like the Veil. The veil does not make the picture completely dark but does make the plate appear darker.

Pic #1-left to right=Half Diffusing Tape (Bottom), Full Diffusing Tape, Veiled Plate, State Plate

Pic #2 -left to right=Half Diffusing Tape (Bottom), Full Diffusing Tape, Veiled Plate, State Plate

Pic #3 -left to right=State Plate, Veiled Plate, Full Diffusing Tape, Half Diffusing Tape (Top)

Pic#4- left to right=Half Diffusing Tape (Bottom), Full Diffusing Tape, Veiled Plate, State Plate



http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42.../threecopy.jpg
Half Diffusing Tape (Bottom), Full Diffusing Tape, Veiled Plate, State Plate


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42...r/fourcopy.jpg
Half Diffusing Tape (Bottom), Full Diffusing Tape, Veiled Plate, State Plate

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42...gixxer/two.jpg
State Plate, Veiled Plate, Full Diffusing Tape, Half Diffusing Tape (Top)


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42...er/onecopy.jpg
Half Diffusing Tape (Bottom), Full Diffusing Tape, Veiled Plate, State Plate

Wait, I'm confused. From the pictures, it seems that the diffusing tape is doing a better job at "darkening" out the plate than Veil is. But, at least from what I'm understanding from your words, it seems that you are saying that "the diffusing tape has some effect but nothing like the Veil." I'm confused. Can you help me out here?

yea sorry, I'm gonna redo the pictures because I figured out that more ambient light is required in night mode but at that time I didn't have access to a working digital camera.


The diffusing tape and laser shield have the same shade (perhaps the angle makes the diffusing tape slightly darker in night mode but overall the sam shade) which are slightly darker than a state plate but the Veil plate is darker than the other plates. I'll get better pictures with more ambient where Veil shows its full effect. The pictures were done again with a cell phone light and did not show the effect very well in night mode.

So if laser shield and the diffusing tape have the same effect (shade in night mode) it may diffuse IR beam slightly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by onefastzx9r

There is no way u can have total darkness in the garage, I used a cell phone display screen light, it was the smallest illumination device i could find, comments?

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The camcorder provides illumination (unless you have that turned off in the menus) via a bright infrared LED on its front, so ideally you wouldn't be using the cell phone, as you are still picking up visible light.
But your results do seem to be pretty clear.

ah....ok....I think it has an LED, I'll use it next time

Yea, the Sonys with nightshots are supposed to have two little IR LEDs. They are usually below the lens. Actually, you can see them light up (two red dots) when you are in nightshot mode.

Well, this got me really curious, so I went to buy some duct tape :)

In case you're wondering, it looks like this http://www.3m.com/brands/scotch/tran...ape/index.html. Just go to Wal-mart; it'll be in the tape section. ($5)

So I got home a started taking pictures of anything that was retroreflective :P

Here are some of the "results."

Here are some retroreflective headphones I have. The tape cut down on some of the reflectivity.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...h/SNV32594.jpg

Here is a picture of a retroreflective sticker I have on the lid of my laptop. the top left corner is the equivalent of having two pieces of tape stacked on each other. Reflectivity was cut down a bit.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...h/SNV32592.jpg

Here is my roomate's car's tail light. You can clearly see where there was no tape.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l1...h/SNV32581.jpg

Of course, all of these tests don't have much "value" since they weren't taken with IR light.

I'll see if I can get something with a remote control.