1. The list in brief ↴
2. Best for urban skies
3. Best for wider lenses
4. Best choice of design
5. Best for drones
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, light pollution filters can negate some of the effects of light pollution and skyglow. Without one, your images may have an orange tint, which doesn't reflect the natural color of the night sky. But by using one of the best night pollution filters you'll be able to increase contrast, make images look more vibrant and, most importantly, give them beautiful, natural colors.
Urban areas have a big issue with light pollution, which means most people — about 80% of Americans in fact, — can't see the Milky Way from where they live. But if you get one of the top light pollution filters for your camera, you can tackle this problem head-on.
Skyglow in particular is the bane of astrophotographers, 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 for wider lenses
There are 10 different filter sizes available in the Hoya Starscape, so there's a good chance you'll get one to fit. It's relatively inexpensive, too.
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 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
Why you can trust Space.com Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test and review products.
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 use a CMOS or CCD camera and shoot a lot of astrophotography, you probably won't find a better light pollution filter than the Optolong L-eXtreme. You might have heard of its predecessor, the Optolong L-Enhance, which was well-known for being a quality filter. The L-eXtreme might just be even better.
This is an ultra-narrowband light pollution feature, and so if you're an urban-based astrophotographer, it's a fantastic option for adding an impressive amount of contrast in your images. It separates out two types of light wavelengths — H-alpha (Ha) and Oxygen III (OIII) 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.
Keep in mind that using the Optolong L-eXtreme might make focusing and framing your shot more challenging since your images will appear darker. Adjust your camera settings in advance, though, and you'll be all set to capture stunning night scenes.
| 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 for wider lenses
✅ You shoot in the daytime as well: It's a versatile filter that can be used for daytime shooting as well as at night.
❌ You have a filter thread bigger than 100mm: Currently they don't sell it in sizes bigger than 100mm.
🔎 Hoya Starscape light pollution filter: Effective at removing color casts in your images and boosting contrast, this filter is ideal for shooting at nighttime as well as during the day. ★★★★
Japanese brand Hoya has been around for a very long time, and it's a name that's become synonymous with good quality filters. With the Hoya Starscape light pollution filter, you know you're buying into a good brand and, even better, thanks to there being a vast range of different sizes available, you'll likely find a Starscape to fit your camera. It's also more recently become available in 100x100mm for filter holders, too.
Despite its name, the Hoya Starscape filter isn't just for shooting the night sky — it excels in various types of nighttime photography. It's also handy during the day, enhancing color and contrast in photographs, especially for cityscape and landscape shots.
While the Hoya Starscape filter is versatile, it's especially ideal for night photographers. It effectively removes unwanted colors like murky greens, yellows and browns caused by streetlights and urban skyglow. With this filter, your images will boast natural colors and vibrant contrast.
- Read our Sony E 11mm f/1.8 lens review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Doesn't come larrger than 100mm. |
| Performance | Removes color casts and boost contrast. |
| Functionality | Can be used for daytime shooting in addition to astrophotography. |
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. ★★★★
This light pollution filter is a great choice whether you're looking for something for astrophotography or other types of nighttime photography, like cityscapes. The Kase Wolverine Neutral Night filter reduces the orange glow from older streetlights, instead allowing more of the reddish light from nebulas to appear in your photographs.
We love our durable the Kase Wolverine Neutral Night filter is — though we'd expect nothing less for anything called 'Wolverine', a rather fancy moniker for a camera filter. Nevertheless, it's made from Pro HD optical glass, which provides scratch resistance and enough toughness to prevent accidental knocks and bumps. It comes with an included travel pouch, too, so when it's not in use you know it's going to be safe.
You'll find the Kase Wolverine available in a good range of formats, from screw-on filters to square plate. 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 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:
❌ 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 was one of the first artificial light reduction filters available on the market. 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. By blocking the yellow glow that comes from sodium street lights, this filter ensures your images maintain natural colors.
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.
- 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 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 used to be known as GOBE before the company rebranded in 2020. In the last four years, it has launched some rather exciting new products, one of our favorites being this Neutral Night Plus+ filter. It's one of the best light pollution filters for astrophotography you can currently buy for your camera.
It's an excellent quality product, too. While we can't qualify Urth's own claim that their glass is the best in the world, we can confirm that it has a 20-layer Neodymium coating which cuts through the warm color of light pollution to instead provide your photography with more realistic colors. The nano-layers within the filter also provide a higher maximum light transmission and a more consistent transmission curve for sharper images, better colors and greater depth.
While the product itself is impressive, it's Urth as a brand that truly shines, 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 nearly 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. ★★★★
While the K&F Concept Natural Night light pollution filter may not be ideal for deep sky astrophotography, it's a fantastic option for general nighttime shooting. It's also quite affordable, making it a valuable addition to your photography gear.
The K&F Concept Natural Night filter effectively blocks out yellow and orange wavelengths from entering the lens, making it great for combating skyglow from sodium street lighting.
One thing it can't do, however, is eliminate the effects of shooting under broad-spectrum LED streelighting. But then again, that's true of many of the filters we've included on this list.
Because the K&F Concept Natural Night filter blocks out warmer wavelengths, its 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.
- Sleep under the stars in one of the best stargazing tents
| 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're looking to reduce light coming from artificial sources, the Haid NanoPro MC Clear-Night filter is one of the best broadband light pollution filters currently on the market. It's excellent at taking out the unnatural yellowish glow you typically see in nighttime cityscapes. Rather, using this filter provides your images with a much 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.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
