IMPORTANT message to other IR newbies (me included, of course):
Thanks to ERICSAN, I was made aware of the risk associated with potential damage to one's eye by strong infrared light thru an IR filter (e.g. viewing at a bright infrared subject for a long time thru the optical viewfinder of a SLR or DSRL with an IR filter in front). Since the pupils in our eyes won't close up even under strong infrared light (whcih is invisible to us), thermal damage can be done to our eyes without us knowing it.
So please limit your exposure to light source via a IR filter to the as short a time as possible
(I guess viewing IR thru LCD or EVF is relatively safe by comparison)
Thanks ERICSAN again for this important advice.