Tilta Hydra Alien Mini Stabilizing System – First Look

by Francesco AndreolaSeptember 13^th, 2024

At IBC 2024, Tilta has just announced the Hydra Alien Mini, a new stabilizing arm for vehicle-based cinematography, and more. With a maximum payload of around 1kg/2.2lbs., this tiny mounting system is meant for use with smartphones or action cameras, like the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, for example. Let’s take a look!

The original Hydra Alien car mounting system was released back in 2021, and it perfectly fits a mirrorless camera setup. In case you missed it, check out our video review here. Back in June, the company unveiled a “Pro” version of this arm, featuring an electronic dampening control system.

And now, they’re about to release a “Mini” version of the Tilta Hydra Alien for action cameras and phones. On the show floor at IBC 2024, we caught up with Jack Charge from Tilta to learn more about it.

Tilta Hydra Alien Mini – tiny stabilizing arm for small cameras

Essentially, the Hydra Alien Mini is a miniaturized version of Tilta’s stabilizing arm that can support payloads ranging from about 100g/3.5oz up to 1kg/2.2 lbs. This means it can withstand the weight of popular action cams – like a GoPro or the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 – a smartphone, and maybe even a stripped-down mirrorless camera body paired with a lightweight pancake lens.

The tension of the spring in the arm is adjustable using a dedicated knob so that you can calibrate the suspension of the system according to the payload. Tilta also designed an extension that allows you to connect the stabilizing arm to either a hand grip, a rod clamp, or their new electronic suction cups.

This means that you can mount the Hydra Alien Mini to different types of vehicles – such as a car’s body or the handlebars of your bike – or even use it handheld to add an extra layer of stabilization to your camera setup.

Price and availability

The regular suction cup will start at $149 and the electronic version will start at $189, and shipping should start at the end of this month. The system is on display at IBC Amsterdam (Booth 12.A63, Hall 12).

For more information about Tilta’s stabilization systems, please their website here.

Have you ever used one of Tilta’s car-mounted stabilizing arms? What do you think of the new Hydra Alien Mini? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!