Tilta Hydra Shock Absorbing Arm

The Tilta Hydra HDA-T10 shock-absorbing arm keeps the camera steady exactly where the vehicle shakes hardest. It damps on two axes, carries a camera with a stabilised head up to 30 kg and combines Steadicam-style tension springs with honeycomb EPDM rubber blocks that behave the same in frost and in heat. It mounts on the Tilta Hydra motorised slider or straight onto 50 mm Speed Rail tubes, and the camera head attaches through a Mitchell mount. It is made of aerospace-grade aluminium alloy and 304 stainless steel, works from −30 to 80 °C and travels in its own case.

Tilta Hydra Shock Absorbing Arm (HDA-T10) is the shock-absorbing arm from the Hydra Car Mounting family. It damps on two axes, carries a camera with a stabilised head up to 30 kg and mounts either on the Tilta Hydra motorised slider or straight onto 50 mm Speed Rail tubes. It combines Steadicam-style tension springs with honeycomb EPDM blocks.

Tension springs taken from the Steadicam

The shock-absorbing arm works with tension springs taken from the Steadicam design. The movement is therefore more linear and smoother than on arms relying on a damper alone, and the arm carries a camera with a stabilised head up to 30 kg. Spring preload can be tuned to the weight of the rig.

Honeycomb EPDM rubber damping blocks

The arm uses EPDM, an ageing-resistant rubber, in a honeycomb shape as its damping material. High-frequency vibration is absorbed the same in frost and in heat, so the behaviour of the arm does not drift through the shooting day the way ordinary rubber does.

Magnetorheological damper (announced by the maker)

The arm can be fitted with an automatic magnetorheological damper — a technology taken from the automotive industry, where the adaptive damping module reacts to shocks within milliseconds and the shot comes out smoother. The manufacturer lists it on the product page as coming soon; it is not included and we will sell it separately once Tilta releases it.

Mitchell mount: fits most remote heads

The camera head attaches through a Mitchell mount, the standard most remote heads are built around. Tilta lists Movi XL, Maximus 7, Flight Head, DJI Ronin 2, Shoot Over F1, ARRI SRH-3 and the Scorpio Stabilized Remote Head 4 Axis, plus the GFM and Maxi shock absorbers. The DJI Ronin 2 mounting plate is included.

Straight onto a 50 mm vehicle chassis

The shock-absorbing arm comes with adapters for 50 mm Speed Rail tubes, so it can be mounted straight onto a vehicle chassis where one exists — the manufacturer names the Can-Am Maverick X3, for instance. The whole intermediate structure is dropped and the rig sits lower.

Operates from −30 to 80 °C

Both the shock-absorbing arm and the slider are made of aerospace-grade aluminium alloy and 304 stainless steel. The manufacturer quotes an operating range of −30 to 80 °C (−22 to 176 °F) and resistance to wind, rain and snow, so the shoot does not end with the first shower.