At least once a week I'm sure I've seen that question
"Is A6 the same as Personal size?"
It would be very mean to just say NO, LOOK IT UP!!! but we aren't that cruel? 😊
This picture might help start the explanation:
The page sizes of the ones shown are as follows:
- Personal size - 171 x 95mm (h x w) = 16,245 sq mm
- A6 size - 148 x 105mm (h x w) = 15,540 sq mm
- Pocket size - 120 x 81mm (h x w) = 9,720 sq mm
In terms of page square area, A6 and Personal size are very similar, although their size proportions are different. A6 being wider but shorter than Personal size.
All three of the sizes shown share the same number of ring spaced holes, six in total, split this in to two groups of three with the three rings spaced at a common 19mm spacing. The 'central spacing between the two groups of three is different:
- Personal = 50.8mm (2 inches)
- A6 = 38mm (1.5 inches)
- Pocket = 19mm (¾ inches)
One side effect of these hole spacing is that Pocket size can fit on to the rings of an A6 organiser
And finally M2 also fits
M2 will also fit on to Personal rings in a similar fashion. But M2 is 64 x 103mm (h x w) so there is some overhang when you put M2 in to Personal size.
The closeness in page area between Personal size and A6 is possibly a reason why Filofax have never produced an A6 organiser sticking to Pocket and Personal sizes.
A6 size is an ISO216 paper size therefore the height and width proportions are fixed 1:1.4142
Even though Filofax doesn't sell A6 size there are plenty of companies that do. I will not attempt to list them all.
Sadly you will often see sellers advertising organisers and inserts as being A6 when they are in fact Personal size, the clue is in the page size.
See our guide to popular paper sizes for more information.
this is a great post. I have asked before if an A6 Hobonichi Techo would fit in a Personal FF. Not that I think they are the same size, but if anyone had done it and what it would look and work like. I have a page in one of my FF with all the sizes. (i have a literal file of facts in one of my Filofaxes)
ReplyDeleteAn essential post. Thanks, Steve.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteI have always wondered why filofax and its predecessors chose 171mm x 95mm paper size instead of A6?
Does anyone know?
Filofax personal size or the equivalents have existed since the early 1900's, ISO A6 and the other ISO sizes were not standardised in UK until 1959. Although the page proportions had existed for many years before that. See the History section of ISO216 linked to in the post.
DeleteIt was originally 6 and 3/4 inches by 3 and 3/4 inches - a useful size for a big jacket pocket or a briefcase.
DeleteAmazon sells non-name plastic binders described as A6 that DO fit FF personal pages (despite the difference in centre gap between FF personal & "true" A6 noted in the post). They are wide enough to accommadate A6 pages. Presumably people buying them for real A6 pages would be disappointed...
ReplyDeleteThey are quite inexpensive and I find them useful for storing pages. They have rings rather than the (more expensive) Filofax storage binders (which have posts that make it difficult to actually open the binder and see the pages).
Dave.