The fluid head built for speed

 

Level up with aktiv™

When you have just one chance to capture the perfect shot, mount, level and lock the revolutionary aktiv™ fluid head in seconds.

Sachtler‘s unique SpeedLevel™ and SpeedSwap™ technologies deliver the fastest way to place and position your camera; adjust the level in an instant without ever taking your eye off the action; get closer to the ground than ever before for extreme low angle shots or swap between a tripod, slider, jib or even hand held without missing a beat.

Capture the widest range of shots in the shortest time with aktiv.

Explore the aktiv range

Level up and lock your head
in an instant.

Unique SpeedLevel™ technology.

Never miss the shot. aktiv™ fluid heads feature revolutionary SpeedLevel™ technology. Release, level, and lock your head tightly into the perfect position without missing a second of action.

aktiv™ feature overview

Visible from any height or angle
- day or night.

Innovative PrismBubble.

Clear confirmation that the camera is level comes from the illuminated PrismBubble visible from any height or angle – day or night.

aktiv™ top-down view

Capture extreme low-angle shots right down to the ground.

Innovative streamlined mounting system.

Go lower than ever. aktiv™ and flowtech® aktiv combine to provide a flexible one tripod solution delivering the widest height range. With no bowl clamp required, aktiv™ heads allow flowtech® aktiv tripods to go flat to the ground for the perfect low-angle shot.

aktiv™ on a ground spreader

Switch between tripod and slider
in seconds.

Revolutionary SpeedSwap™ system.

Stay fast for ultimate creativity. aktiv™ fluid heads feature the unique SpeedSwap™ system, allowing lightning-fast camera swaps from a tripod to a slider without missing a beat. The perfect camera movement is just a SpeedSwap™ away.

aktiv™ heads allow flowtech® aktiv tripods to go flat to the ground for the perfect low-angle shot

Introducing
aktiv™

Discover the unique new features that make aktiv the world’s
fastest fluid head in this video tour.

 

SpeedSwap™ Accessories

Switch between tripod and slider in seconds with the revolutionary SpeedSwap system.

Stay fast for ultimate creativity. All aktiv fluid heads feature the unique SpeedSwap system, allowing lightning-fast camera swaps from a tripod to a slider without missing a beat. The perfect camera movement is just a SpeedSwap away.

3 Stages of aktiv setup

SpeedSwap™ Overview

Discover the unique new features that make aktiv the world’s fastest fluid head in this video tour.

aktiv accessories

Adaptor aktiv head / slider

Adaptor to mount aktiv™ 75 mm fluid heads with SpeedSwap™ base on a slider with 3/8” mounting stud or any other product with 3/8” attachment.

Product Details

akitv SpeedSwap accessory

Adaptor aktiv slider / tripod

Adaptor to quickly mount a slider on a 75 mm or 100mm tripod with SpeedSwap™; includes Sideload plate.

Product Details

Touch & Go VS Sideload

What's the difference and which would work better for your setup?

 

aktiv™ Product Range

aktiv™ is available as a head only or as a system with the flowtech75 aktiv tripod or the flowtech100 tripod.

View Systems Download aktiv Brochure Product Compatibility Chart
 

Sideload Fluid Heads

aktiv6

aktiv6

  • Bowl: 75mm
  • Payload: 0 - 8 kg / 0-17.6 lb
  • Counterbalance steps: 15+0
  • Drag setting: 3+0
  • Camera fitting: Sideload S
  • Weight: 2.6 kg / 5.7 lb
SHOW PRODUCT DETAILS
aktiv8

aktiv8

  • Bowl: 75mm
  • Payload: 0 - 12 kg / 0 -26.5 lb
  • Counterbalance steps: 15+0
  • Drag setting: 7+0
  • Camera fitting: Sideload S
  • Weight: 2.7 kg / 5.9 lb
SHOW PRODUCT DETAILS
aktiv10

aktiv10

  • Bowl: 100mm
  • Payload: 0 - 12 kg / 0 - 26.5 lb
  • Counterbalance steps: 15+0
  • Drag setting: 7+0
  • Camera fitting: Sideload S
  • Weight: 2.9 kg / 6.4 lb
Show Product Details
 

Touch & Go Fluid Heads

aktiv8T

aktiv8T

  • Bowl: 75mm
  • Payload: 0 - 12 kg / 0 -26.5 lb
  • Counterbalance steps: 15+0
  • Drag setting: 7+0
  • Camera fitting: Touch & Go plate S
  • Weight: 2.8 kg / 6.2 lb
Show Product Details
aktiv10T

aktiv10T

  • Bowl: 100mm
  • Payload: 0 - 12 kg / 0 - 26.5 lb
  • Counterbalance steps: 15+0
  • Drag setting: 7+0
  • Camera fitting: Touch & Go
  • Weight: 3.0 kg / 6.6 lb
Show Product Details
aktiv12T

aktiv12T

  • Bowl: 100mm
  • Payload: 0 - 14 kg / 0 - 30.9 lb
  • Counterbalance steps: 15+0
  • Drag setting: 7+0
  • Camera fitting: Touch & Go
  • Weight: 3.3 kg / 7.3 lb
Show Product Details
aktiv14T

aktiv14T

  • Bowl: 100mm
  • Payload: 0 - 16 kg / 0 - 35.3 lb
  • Counterbalance steps: 15+0
  • Drag setting: 7+0
  • Camera fitting: Touch & Go
  • Weight: 3.4 kg / 7.5 lb
Show Product Details
 

aktiv fluid head compatibility

aktiv fluid heads are compatible with Sachtler tripods.
To leverage the revolutionary aktiv technology the flowtech®75 tripod has been upgraded to flowtech75 aktiv.

aktiv6, aktiv8 and aktiv8T systems include the new flowtech75 aktiv tripod.
aktiv10T, aktiv12T and aktiv14T are compatible with all 100mm tripods, except HotPod.

aktiv6aktiv8aktiv8T
Tripod flowtech® 75 aktiv MS (4585)
Tripod flowtech® 75 aktiv GS (4587)
Tripod flowtech® 75 - How to upgrade
Tripod 75/2 AL (S2036-0002)
Tripod 75/2 MS AL (S2036-0003)
Speedlock75 (4588)
ENG 75/2 D (4188)
DA 75L (4183)
Ace tripods
aktiv10aktiv10Taktiv12Taktiv14T
Tripod flowtech® 100 MS (5585)
Tripod flowtech® 100 GS (5587)
Tripod flowtech® 100 (5584)
ENG 2 CF (5386)
ENG 2 CF HD (5390)
Speedlock CF (5586)
Speedlock CF HD (5590)
ENG 2D (5186)
 

First Impressions

Andre Götzmann

Andre Götzmann
Read Andre's Story

Documentary filmmaker Andre Götzmann has been putting two new Sachtler heads through their paces on different types of programmes with different demands on gear.

“If I was only a documentary cameraman then the Sachtler 12 would be perfect for all my work. You can still attach the big lenses to the head, even up to 600mm; on documentaries you tend to have the longer lenses. It’s also light weight which allows you to travel easier.”

Kieran Tynan

Kieran Tynan
Read Kieran's Story

Kieran Tynan has been a BBC camera opeator for over 10 years. Now freelance, he works in news, documentary, features, entertainment, reality, commercials, corporate and drama. Kieran has recently been putting the new Sachtler aktiv 12T to the test in fast-paced news situations.

"The weight of it is brilliant! The aktiv12 head can also take a higher payload while being lighter to carry. It makes carrying both much less of a chore and you’re not out of necessity putting it all on your shoulder.”

Geoff Nelson

Geoff Nelson
Read Geoff's Story

Geoff Nelson began his freelance camera operating career back in the nineties and is now a hugely experienced ENG broadcast and news cameraman with the gear to get the job done in any weather.

"Once you’ve got the camera balanced on the 14T, you’ve got your drag set and you do some tests for your pan and tilt movement and so on, it’s just there and doesn’t change throughout the day. It’s fantastic.”

Uros Podlogar

Uros Podlogar
Read Uros' Story

Called on by the Montenegro Army to document the delivery of a new fleet of helicopters, Uroš relied on his Sachtler flowtech75 tripod combined with the revolutionary new aktiv8 fluid head and a Syrp Magic Carpet slider to deliver the widest range of shots against the clock.

"I really love to shoot from low angles, this head it really good, because you can pull it off the tripod and put it on the slider in two seconds"

Moritz Sieber

Moritz Sieber

Being able to use a slider makes the picture so much more interesting. With aktiv SpeedSwap it was so fast and easy for us to just lift the lever, take the head off, attach the slider onto the tripod, click the head head onto the slider and we’re ready to go.

"We like to work a lot during golden hour so we have a limited window to catch the best light, so we need to have gear that is fast, aktiv is perfect for this."

Stuart Howells

Stuart Howells

When I need to get an interview with a politician, I have just minutes with them, with aktiv there’s no time lost changing shot, the SpeedLevel means I can get three or four shots almost within a minute

“The range that it enables you to be able to get is just incredible, and that - as a camera operator - means I have no concerns about having time to get that shot – I know with this system I definitely can because it’s so quick and it’s so easy.“
 

Frequently asked questions

A range of accessories are being developed to provide compatibility with popular dolly systems.

aktiv fluid heads are designed to work with Sachtler tripods.

Yes, aktiv uses the same pan bars and camera plates as the FSB heads.

Our Brands