To explore Tibet, some secret weapons are needed to ensure a once-in-a-lifetime journey free from some expected problems. Digital cameras help capture the views, mobile phones help keep in touch with friends, DV cameras can lend extra electronic memory to back up an oxygen-starved brain and GPS helps travellers make sure they are always on the right track.

Secret weapon list
*Cameras
The blue sky, sublime mountains and exotic culture in Tibet breed endless opportunities for taking photographs, so be careful about what kind of camera you bring.

To shoot Tibet scenery, you should have a camera that has high pixelation, a strong optical zoom (above 10x) and a good anti-shake function.

Recommended brands

Sony Cybershot DSC R1 (approximately RMB 7,000)

A Sony CMOS image sensor offers a resolution of 10.3 Megapixels and an exceptionally nice zoom range, starting from 24mm to 120mm (the equivalent of a 35mm camera), Sony Cybershot DSC R1 also has a 2 inch format LCD display that can be folded up and rotated 270 degrees.

Fuji S9500 (approximately RMB 4,000)

The Fuji S9500 has a 28-300mm lens fixed to the camera, a benefit for photographing in Tibet, as the interior of the camera will be protected from dust.

Canon Power Shot S2 IS (approximately RMB 3,500)

Equipped with a quake-proof 12x optical zoom starting from 36mm to 432mm (the equivalent of a 35mm camera) and a 1.8-inch tilt-and-swivel LCD monitor, the Canon Power Shot S2 IS has a third advantage in its extra-long movie mode with enhanced VGA resolution and stereo sound.

*Digital memory

Amazing Tibet can't be captured with just one memory card, and it's difficult to find Internet access outside of major cities like Lhasa and Rika. So take some extra storage along.

Aigo Hard Disc Dirves III (around RMB 2,400 for 60GB storage) leads the industry with its superb data security technology.

*Mp3: keep boredom at bay on the long journey with music

Samsung YP Z5 (around RMB 1,800) 4GB of storage and a 39-hour battery life, well suited for traveling in Tibet.

* Notebook PC: a great companion to the digital camera

*Mobile phones and GPS
Mobile phones can help you keep in touch with your friends and also may be used in an emergency, while GPS can help those backpacking in small groups to stay on the right track.

Mio DigiWalker A701 (approximately RMB 6,000) has GPS, a digital assistant and a mobile phone all in one.

*DV cameras

Sony DCR-SR100E Hard Disc Drive DV (approximately RMB 9,000) has 30GB of storage and excellent anti-shake features.

Digital equipment maintenance in Tibet

People can get altitude sickness in Tibet, and so can digital equipment.

*A shorter lifetime for batteries

In Tibet, it's normally rather cold at dawn and dusk, and low temperatures shorten a battery's lifetime. So remember to carry some spare batteries.

Recharging batteries in Tibet is also not an easy task. It's ok in several big cities like Lhasa, but in small towns and villages battery recharging might be an impossible mission due to the lack of a public electric power supply network or a limited electric power supply time.

*Sand
Most places in Tibet have sand problems especially at dawn and dusk. Sand can cause a lot of damage to cameras, so be sure to use a camera case and cover the lens with a lid when not taking photos.

*Ultraviolet radiation damage
Highland areas have strong ultraviolet radiation. To protect the lens, use an extra UV lens on top of the original (also called a color filter).

Shooting taboos in Tibet

*In temples: Always get permission when shooting in temples. Normally open-air areas in temples don't have special restrictions for shooting. However, some halls forbid shooting or charge extra fees ranging from several yuan to several hundred yuan for shooting.

*In local people's homes: Try to give due respect to local people. When taking pictures of them, give them some small gifts, especially to kids and send them a copy of the pictures after they have been developed.