I agree that narrow band works in light polluted skies, but, you can get good images without them. I image from a Bortle 6 zone and the trick is to take many hours of exposures. I posted my M42 from last winter. A total of 3.6 hours using a modified Canon 6D. That’s on the low end of integration. I typically try for 6 hours or more. I also try for targets above 40 degrees in altitude - the higher the better.
Gordon
Gordon