A porous ceramic honeycomb filter manufactured from an oxide-based ceramic material having a pore size distribution with d1≧7.0 microns. Preferably, the oxide-based material is cordierite or aluminum titanate. Alternatively, the filter contains a cordierite-containing ceramic body with a narrow pore size distribution with db≦1.00, wherein db=(d90−d10)/d50. Also disclosed is a batch mixture, method and honeycomb green body made from mixture of inorganic source materials selected from the group of magnesia sources, alumina sources, and silica sources, and a pore former having a narrow particle size distribution with dps≦0.90, wherein dps={(dp90−dp10)/dp50}. The pore former is preferably selected from a group consisting of canna starch, sago palm starch, green mung bean starch, and single-mode potato starch.