Filter Recommendations by Bortle
Get filter suggestions based on your light pollution level (Bortle scale), camera type, and target type. Fight light pollution with the right filters.
Your Bortle Class
Camera Type
Primary Target
Recommended Filters
Dual-band (Ha/OIII)
~12nm each line
Best single filter for color cameras on emission targets
UHC (Ultra High Contrast)
~50nm bands
Good general-purpose filter, passes Ha, OIII, and Hβ
Broadband LP filter
400-700nm
Mild LP suppression while preserving natural colors
Bortle 5: Suburban sky
Moderate light pollution. Dual-band filters for OSC or narrowband for mono will significantly improve results on emission nebulae.
Filter Types
Broadband LP: Blocks common LP wavelengths (sodium, mercury)
UHC: Passes multiple emission lines (Ha, OIII, Hβ)
Ha/SII/OIII: Single narrowband line, 3-12nm bandwidth
Dual/Quad-band: Multiple narrowband lines for OSC cameras
Pro Tips
- • Dual-band filters are the best LP solution for OSC cameras
- • Processing dual-band data requires special techniques (HOO extraction)
- • For natural color, shoot from dark sites when possible
- • Moon phase matters less with narrowband filters