1. The list in brief ↴
2. Best for urban skies
3. Best choice of design
4. Best for drones
5. Best budget filter
6. Best for eco-conscious consumers
7. Best for removing orange glow
8. Best for nightscapes
9. Light pollution filters FAQs
10. How we test
Purchasing one of the best light pollution filters isn't exactly the most exciting purchase you can make for your camera. But it is an important bit of kit, and using one on your lens can make a huge amount of difference in your images — particularly if you're into astrophotography.
Why? Well, these filters help reduce the impact of city lights and skyglow on your photos. Without one, your pictures might look orangey, not showing the true colors of the night sky. But with a good light pollution filter, you can boost contrast, make your images pop, and, best of all, capture those stunning, natural colors
In cities and urban areas, light pollution is a major problem. In fact, around 80% of Americans can't see the Milky Way from their homes because of it. But with one of the best light pollution filters for your camera, you can directly address this issue
Skyglow in particular is the bane of astrophotographers' lives, causing an orange glow in populated areas that can ruin a good skyscape. Even with one of the best cameras for astrophotography by your side, a light pollution filter can be the difference between the perfect shot and one ruined by skyglow. Light pollution filters function by blocking certain wavelengths of visible light that cause skyglow, letting you capture specific subjects in the night sky more effectively.
Two types of filters are available: broadband and narrowband. They work in slightly different ways and offer different results depending on your needs. Narrowband filters allow light from nebulas to shine through in your images, creating more contrast. Broadband filters, on the other hand, are the best choice if you want to reduce light pollution in astrophotography (from galaxies and comets to Milky Way panoramas and all-sky images of meteor showers).
In this guide, we've included both types of the best light pollution filters, and so no matter what type of photography you're looking to shoot after dark, you should find a product to sure. And if you're not sure what type of filter will be best for you, be sure to check out our light pollution filter FAQs at the bottom of the page.
In the meantime, you might want to invest in one of the Best cameras for photos and videos or get the Best tripod or Best travel tripod to truly take your night photography and astrophotography to the next level.
The quick list
Best for urban skies
If you're an urban photographer who wants more contrast in your images, this is the best choice for you.
Best choice of design
Coming in screw-on, square plate and clip-in, there's a whole host of designs available for the Kase Wolverine Neutral Night. Its glass is also toughened and scratch-resistant.
Best for drones
This is one of few light pollution filters that fits on the DJI Phantom 4 Pro and the Mavic Pro — though it's more suited for shooting nighttime cityscapes than starscapes.
Best budget filter
For beginners astrophotographers or those on a budget, this Natural Night filter is a good way to eliminate skyglow and color casts without breaking the bank.
Best for eco-conscious consumers
We love the balance between affordability and quality that the Urth Neutral Night Plus offers, and it comes from an environmentally-conscious brand.
Best for removing orange glow
The K&F Concept Natural Light Pollution Filter is reasonably priced and does a great job of blocking yellow and orange wavelengths.
Load the next product ↴
Best for nightscapes
This broadband filter improves nightscapes for cameras and drones by reducing light pollution from artificial sources and enhancing starlight. It's scratch-resistant and is available in drone-sized sizes.
Jamie is an experienced science, technology and travel journalist and stargazer who writes about exploring the night sky, solar and lunar eclipses, moon-gazing, astro-travel, astronomy and space exploration. He is the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com and author of A Stargazing Program For Beginners, and is a senior contributor at Forbes. His special skill is turning tech-babble into plain English.
Best light pollution filters we recommend in 2024
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Best for urban skies
✅ You're a seasoned astrophotographer: Due to their price, only experienced astronomers who focus on astrophotography would be more likely to purchase one.
❌ You're on a budget: While we think it's worth the investment, it's the most expensive option on this list by a long way.
🔎 Optolong L-eXtreme: A must-have for astrophotographers based in urban areas looking to photograph the night sky, with it being particularly adept for capturing nebulas. It's not cheap, but we think it's worth it. ★★★★★
If you're into astrophotography and use a CMOS or CCD camera, the Optolong L-eXtreme is hard to beat as a light pollution filter. You might be familiar with its previous version, the Optolong L-Enhance, which was already known for its quality. Well, the L-eXtreme might just be an improvement on that.
This filter is an ultra-narrowband, making it perfect for urban astrophotographers. It enhances contrast in your images by isolating two types of light wavelengths — H-alpha (Ha) and Oxygen III (OIII), each at seven nanometers.
This filter boosts the light reaching your camera while minimizing unwanted skyglow. If you're capturing nebulas, this filter is essential for top-notch results.
Just remember, using the Optolong L-eXtreme can make focusing and framing a bit trickier because your images will be darker. But if you adjust your camera settings beforehand, you'll be ready to capture beautiful night scenes without any hassle.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Images will appear darker when composing your shot. |
| Performance | Separates H-alpha (Ha) and Oxygen III (OIII) wavelengths at seven nanometers. |
| Functionality | Ideal for photographing nebulas. |
Best choice of design
✅ You want to travel with it: It comes with a pouch to keep it protected while traveling.
❌ You want something affordable: If you're on a budget, there are definitely cheaper options out there.
🔎 Kase Wolverine Neutral Night light pollution filter: A great choice for all types of nighttime photography, it eliminates the orange glow from streetlights and is tough and durable. ★★★★
The Kase Wolverine Neutral Night filter is perfect for both astrophotography and nighttime cityscape shots. It cuts down on the orange glow from traditional streetlights, letting the reddish light from nebulas shine through in your photos.
We're impressed by the durability of the Kase Wolverine Neutral Night filter. The name 'Wolverine' suggests toughness, and this filter lives up to it. Made from Pro HD optical glass, it's scratch-resistant and sturdy enough to handle accidental bumps. Plus, it comes with a travel pouch for safe storage when not in use.
You'll find the Kase Wolverine available in a good range of formats, from screw-on filters to square plates. There are even clip-in style filters for mirrorless cameras too. If you're unsure what type you need, go read our light pollution filter FAQ at the bottom of this page where we aim to answer all common questions.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Durable and scratch resistant. |
| Performance | Pro HD optical glass ensures toughness. |
| Functionality | Reduces orange glow from streetlights. |
Best for drones
✅ You shoot nighttime cityscapes with your drone: They sell versions of this filter that will fit onto DJI drones.
❌ You tend to break things: These filters are incredibly thin, so you need to make sure they are protected when not in use.
🔎 NiSi Circular Natural Night Filter: Designed especially for photographers who shoot at night, it's still a great choice today if you want to reduce light pollution from your images. ★★★★
Nisi's Natural Night filter was among the earliest options for reducing artificial light in photography. It's perfect for nighttime photography, and still a solid choice today for fighting light pollution. By filtering out the yellowish tint from sodium streetlights, it keeps your images looking true to life.
This circular version of the Natural Night filter is unique in that it's available for the DJI Phantom 4 Pro alongside other advanced DJI Mavic Pro drones. As a result, it's more useful for filming nighttime cityscapes rather than starscapes, but its results are excellent thanks to how much light pollution it can block out.
If you're considering getting this filter, keep in mind that it's extremely thin and delicate, with glass just 0.07 inches/2mm thick. We strongly advise using a hard-sided case to store it safely when you're not using it — particularly if you have a tendency to be a bit heavy-handed.
- Shooting cityscapes with your drone? Read our DJI Mavic 2 Pro review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Very thin and fragile glass. |
| Performance | Maintains natural colors. |
| Functionality | Compatible with DJI drones. |
Best budget filter
✅ You're new to astrophotography: It's a brilliant filter that can effectively reduce color casts and skyglow without breaking the bank.
❌ You have a filter thread bigger than 82mm or smaller than 58mm: Currently, they have a somewhat limited size range.
🔎 NEEWER Natural Night Filter: Effective at removing color casts in your images with anti-reflection coating, it's also waterproof, oilproof and scratch-resistant. ★★★★
Astrophotography can get very expensive, so to keep things affordable, here's an offering from NEEWER. This Natural Night filter is perfect for anyone on a budget, or beginners who don't want to spend a lot of money on a light pollution filter if you're not sure you'll keep up the hobby.
It comes in a decent range of filter thread sizes from 58mm to 82mm — it covers all the typical sizes but won't be suitable for any smaller or larger lenses, but other options on this list are.
We haven't tested this filter out, but the reviews seem to be very positive, regardless of the low price. Users said that this filter works just as well as ones that cost over twice the price and work extremely well at removing the yellow color cast from the images. It's lightweight, well-built and easy to clean, we can't think of a reason not to recommend it.
They also state in their advertising that the filter is waterproof, oilproof and scratch-resistant, although we haven't been able to test out these claims to see whether there's any truth to them. While the plastic case they come in is good and will certainly protect the filter, we think it's a little bigger than necessary and would take up more room than needed in your camera bag.
Still, it's a very affordable way for astrophotographers to improve their images without spending too much money — we think that's a win.
- Read our Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Anti-reflective coatings. |
| Performance | Effectively removes yellow color casts. |
| Functionality | Scratch resistant, waterproof and oil resistant. |
Best for eco conscious consumers
✅ You want to buy from a sustainable brand: Urth use recycled and recyclable packaging, plus they plant 5 trees for every product sold.
❌ You want something super affordable: They're not overly expensive, but there are cheaper options.
🔎 Urth Neutral Night Plus light pollution filter: This filter can cut light pollution’s warm color cast to capture truer colors and elevate your night photography. ★★★★
Urth, formerly known as GOBE until they rebranded in 2020, has introduced some exciting products in the past four years. One standout is their Neutral Night Plus+ filter, which we consider one of the top options for reducing light pollution in astrophotography.
It's an excellent quality product, too. While we can't verify Urth's claim that their glass is the world's best, we can say it's coated with 20 layers of Neodymium. This coating helps cut through the warm tones of light pollution, giving your photos more natural colors. Plus, the nano-layers in the filter enhance light transmission, resulting in sharper images, truer colors and more depth.
While the product itself is impressive, it's Urth as a brand that stands out, and we admire their ethical values and dedication to conservation. Urth believes that photography plays a vital role in global conservation efforts, and they continuously strive to minimize their environmental footprint. Their packaging is sustainable, made from recycled materials and fully recyclable. Additionally, they provide impact reports on their website and plant 5 trees for every product sold. To date, they've planted over 7 million trees in deforested areas. That's quite an achievement!
- An eco-conscious shopper? Check out the Silva Terra Scout XT headlamp
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | 20-layer Neodymium coating. |
| Performance | Provides sharp images, accurate colors and great depth. |
| Functionality | Made with sustainable and recycled materials. |
Best for removing orange glow
✅ You stick to general nighttime photography: It's fantastic at cutting out orange glow from streelights.
❌ You do deep-sky astrophotography: This filter is better suited to more general nighttime photography.
🔎 K&F Concept Natural Night light pollution filter: It effectively blocks out yellow and orange wavelengths from entering the lens, we think it's one of the best light pollution filters for general nighttime shooting. ★★★★
The K&F Concept Natural Night light pollution filter might not be suitable for deep sky astrophotography, but it's excellent for general nighttime shooting. Plus, it's budget-friendly, making it a great addition to your photography kit.
The K&F Concept Natural Night filter does a good job blocking yellow and orange light, which helps fight skyglow caused by sodium street lights. However, it can't completely counter the effects of shooting under broad-spectrum LED street lights. But then again, this limitation applies to many of the filters we've included in this list.
Because the K&F Concept Natural Night filter blocks out warmer wavelengths, the manufacturers advise that you tweak your settings to compensate. It's recommended that you use manual white balance, choosing a color temperature somewhere between 700K and 1,500K to ensure you're getting the most accurate colors.
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| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Scratch and water resistant. |
| Performance | Blocks out warmer light wavelengths. |
| Functionality | Not ideal for deep sky astrophotography. |
Best for Nightscapes
✅ You use a drone: You can buy a small version for DJI drones.
❌ You want something premium: It's a great light pollution filter, but if you want to invest in a premium filter, there are more suitable options on this list.
🔎 Haida NanoPro MC Clear-Night light pollution filter: It does a great job of removing the yellowish glow often seen in nighttime cityscapes, and you can even buy a tiny version for your DJI drone. ★★★★
If you want to cut down on light pollution from artificial sources, the Haid NanoPro MC Clear-Night filter is among the top choices. It's great at removing the artificial yellowish glow often seen in cityscapes at night. Instead, it gives your images a more natural, beautiful color.
And, unlike other filters on this list, it won't reduce luminosity as a result, so your images will still appear bright — for better or for worse. You'll likely have to darken the skies in one of the best photo editing apps.
The NanoPro MC Clear-Night filter is available in different sizes and formats, catering to various needs. Whether you prefer a circular filter or a filter insert for a holder, you'll likely find one that suits your setup. Additionally, drone users will be pleased to know that there's a small version designed specifically for DJI drones, perfect for capturing nighttime aerial footage.
- Take a look at some of the best beginner drones
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Comes in various sizes and formats. |
| Performance | Doesn't reduce luminosity. |
| Functionality | Small version available for DJI drones. |
Best filters for light pollution FAQ
Do I need one of the best light pollution filters?
Do you live in or near one of the best places for astrophotography and skywatching? Probably not. Whether or not you need a light pollution filter where you live — or where you intend to visit — will depend on where the location falls on a light pollution map. The measurements are done manually on the ground using a Sky Quality Meter (SQM), with results lower than 20 SQM meaning light polluted skies.
Another way of measuring the darkness of night skies is the Bortle scale, which rates skies from Class 1 (the darkest possible at 22 SQM) to Class 9 (inner-city skies at below 18 SQM). Read more in our How dark is your night sky? An observer's guide page. If you're in the latter, you're out of luck — no filter will get you great-looking astrophotography, but if you're in Class 5 or Class 6 suburban skies (about 19-20.5 SQM) then a light pollution filter can help night and astrophotographers enormously.
Do photography light pollution filters work?
Yes, light pollution filters for cameras work by reducing the effects of light pollution when taking astrophotographs. Before you choose a light pollution filter it's worth bearing in mind that they are most effective when used with astro-modified cameras, meaning cameras that are specifically designed to shoot astrophotography. This is because these cameras are made to be more sensitive to hydrogen-alpha wavelengths.
Do light pollution filters work on white LED streetlights?
The new generation of LED streetlights increasingly found in cities are more of a challenge to filter out because they emit light across a broader spectrum than traditional ones. This is important to keep in mind when choosing a filter to cut light pollution because most existing light pollution filters are designed to reduce the older, orange type that use sodium vapor to create the light.
What shape light pollution filter do I need?
Light pollution filters come in three distinct physical shapes and sizes: Circular filters that screw onto lenses, square filters that need to be used with a filter holder and finally tiny clip-in versions that can be placed over a camera's sensor. The former is best for wide-field starscapes and the latter for close-up astrophotography of celestial objects.
How much do light pollution filters cost?
Exact specifications, ideal uses and prices vary wildly between models, from under $20 to several hundred. We've made sure to include filters at a variety of price points so you can find the perfect accessory no matter what your budget is.
How we test the best light pollution filters
To guarantee you're getting honest, up-to-date recommendations on the best light pollution filters to buy here at Space.com we make sure to put every light pollution filter through a rigorous review to fully test each product. Each light pollution filter is reviewed based on many aspects, from its material, size, shape, compatibility and quality of filtration.
Each light pollution filter is carefully tested by expert staff or knowledgeable freelance contributors who thoroughly know their subject areas. This ensures fair reviewing is backed by personal, hands-on experience with each light pollution filter and is judged based on its price point, class, and destined use.
We look at how easy each light pollution filter is to insert, whether it has additional coatings, how fragile they are, and how it will improve your images. We want you to have the best photography experience possible.
With complete editorial independence, Space.com is here to ensure you get the best buying advice on light pollution filters, whether you should purchase one or not, making our buying guides and reviews reliable and transparent.
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