Tilta Hydra Alien Pro Announced – First Look

by Jeff LochJune 8^th, 2024

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Tilta has just announced the Hydra Alien Pro, an upgraded version of their car mount stabilizing system that can now take payloads ranging from 4 up to 13kg/8.8 – 28.6 lbs. This Pro version now features a new electronic damping control system that allows you to adjust the damping arm force via a touchscreen or wirelessly. So, let’s get closer to it!

In 2021, Tilta introduced the Hydra Alien car mounting system we reviewed here. This compact system lets you securely mount a gimbal on your car via a rail and suction cup system. More recently, the company introduced the Hydra Articulating Car Mounting System, an entry-level car mount that starts at only $449.

During Cine Gear 2024, we met Nick Szubart at the Tilta booth to take a first look at their latest car mount system: the Hydra Alien Pro.

Tilta Hydra Alien Pro – features

The Tilta Hydra Alien Pro consists of three main components: electronic suction cups, mounting rails, and the stabilization arm. We recently wrote an entire post about the electronic cups, which you can read here. In a nutshell, this is a suction cup with a built-in 2000mAh battery. It monitors the air pressure up to a thousand times per second, so you don’t have to worry about a potential air leak, and it has a maximum vertical payload capacity of 20kg/44 lbs.

Next are the rails that attach to the electronic suction cups. You can orient the rails as needed to get the stabilization arm in the perfect spot. Please note that the stabilization arm can also be attached directly to a 50mm pipe.

The most significant upgrade of the Tilta Hydra Alien Pro is the electronic arm, which combines spring, hydraulic, and pneumatic shock absorption. At the end of the arm, you can attach a wide range of gimbals with a maximum payload capacity of 13kg/28.6 lbs.

The Hydra Alien Pro arm can take 14.8-24V power input, which means it can be powered via standard V-Mount/Gold Mount batteries. It also features a 14.8V power output. The arm has a parameter adjustment touchscreen, which allows you to dial in the amount of damping you want based on your camera package’s payload. Of course, the screen has a screen protector cover so it won’t break when the first road rock hits it.

Also, the arm features a load with three settings depending on your camera package’s payload: Light (4-7kg), Medium (7-10kg) and Heavy (10-13kg). You can also connect the Hydra Alien Pro wirelessly to a Nucleus Nano II handle to adjust your settings, which is handy when you’re inside the car and don’t or can’t stop.

Price and availability

Pricing for the new Tilta Hydra Alien Pro should start around $2,000 for a basic setup, while the most advanced kit should max out at around $3,000. According to Nick, the product won’t be available at least until later this summer. Please stay tuned for more updates in the next few weeks.

For more information, please visit Tilta’s website.

What do you think about the new Hydra Alien Pro? Have you already shot with a Tilta Hydra car mount system? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments down below!