Purchasing the ARRI Artemis 2 sled with Volt power system: ergonomics, modularity, and comparison to Tiffen alternatives.

2025From a Facebook group: Steadicam operators group

Purchasing the ARRI Artemis 2 sled with Volt power system: ergonomics, modularity, and comparison to Tiffen alternatives.

Note (as of October 2026)Curt O. Schaller, the developer of Artemis and Trinity, has no longer been with ARRI since the end of 2025. To our knowledge, ARRI currently has no dedicated team and no official contact persons for its stabilizer systems. In our view, the future of this line is uncertain. If you are buying new, get written confirmation from ARRI beforehand on how long service and spare parts are guaranteed. Have used rigs checked by the manufacturer before you buy.

DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.

What the thread found

The Artemis 2 with Volt offers a single 24 V battery powering the entire rig without compromising image quality, though ergonomics may be affected.
Setup criticism: the Top Stage and Docking-Bracket sit high, the Bottom Stage is heavy, and adjustment range at the gimbal rod with the Volt rod is limited; many modular parts exist but each offers only narrow tuning ranges, limiting flexibility across different configurations.
The gimbal is based on the Tiffen gimbal design and is considered solid; new bearings must be cleaned and properly lubricated before use.
Practical advantage: Artemis 2 with Volt functions essentially plug-and-play, requiring only the ARRI Volt power cable to the Top Stage.
Control box should be mounted via Top Stage rod holder with two steel rods rather than the cheaper bracket option to reduce vibration.
The short Volt rod is heavier and more difficult to balance neutrally on small rigs; solutions include weighting toward the camera or using a single battery, which delivers required voltage through the BMS.
Strategic consideration: operators planning to upgrade to Trinity later need Artemis as a foundation; transition to MK-V Omega AR is poorly supported; ARRI ecosystem accessories are expensive and the company can be bureaucratic.
Weight assessment is disputed: some operators find Artemis 2 lighter than Tiffen sleds, others doubt this compared to an M2; the Live-Base offers a lighter alternative.

Depends on

Comparison baseline varies: weight and ergonomics depend on the specific Tiffen model (M2, PRO, XCS) used for reference.
Short Volt rod requires different balancing strategy than standard rod.
Future platform compatibility: purchasing decision should account for planned upgrade path.