With so many brands available these days and some of them not always following the Filofax size naming conventions, I often see questions like 'Is X the same as Y?' Or 'What size inserts fit an A size made by B?'
The table below is far from complete, the list just keeps expanding.
[Update] As with most things someone else has been here before down this path and I would like to thank Hans for sharing with us for all of his work put in to this very comprehensive page on his website. Check it out here: https://hjreggel.net/office/organizer_en.html
The bad part of this naming dilemma is that the sizes vary by some Millimeters within the similar sizes.
ReplyDeleteThe good part is that the inserts from similar sizes will fit most ringbinders of similar size and hole spacing.
For example, Chronoplan "Midi" is 96x172mm, compared to "Personal" of 95x171mm (from 3¾ x 6¾") while Day-Timer "Jotter" is 70x127mm (from 2¾" x 5") compared to "Pocket" of 81x120mm.
Hans
Same with Filofax A5 and other standard A5…the pages are just a touch wider on Filofax and some third-party pages leading to raggedy right sides, especially noticeable when dividers are in use.
DeleteYes there is one brand of inserts that are marketed as being A5, but they are in fact US Letter size!!
DeleteRaggedy right edges can also be down to size & position of punched holes.
DeleteIt's also worth noting that with the recent surge of popularity of Japanese stationery in the West, Japanese paper sizes use similar nomenclature to ISO paper sizes, while having differing dimensions. Japanese B5 is not the same as ISO B5, for example, and sellers do not always indicate which B5, they mean, since Japanese B5 is one of the most common sizes in Asia.
ReplyDeleteActually, it's only the B-Series that differs, i.e. ISO-B5 vs. JIS-B5. But because the respective "other" size is unknown in the markets, paper sizes are usually is not prefixed. The A-Series is the same, ISO-A4 and ISO-A5 are common sizes in Japan, so the three are commonly listed as A4, B5, A5, while it actually means ISO-A5, JIS-B5, ISO-A5.
DeleteHans
In France with have Exatime (from Exacompta):
ReplyDelete• Exatime 21 : 142 × 210 mm (A5, but hole spacing similar to Personal )
• Exatime 17 : 105 × 172 mm (compared to Personal : 95 × 171 mm)
• Exatime 14 : 81 × 126 mm (compared to Pocket of 81 × 120 mm)
And, in the Mignon range, AK17 : 140 × 170 mm (Personal is so "slim" with only 95mm !…)
Emmanuel
This is the same number naming as Quo Vadis, where most of them are named after the height in cm:
DeleteQuo Vadis has Timer 29 (A4), Timer 21 (A5 with Personal hole spacing), Timer 17 (Personal), Timer 14 (Pocket with 126 height) and Timer 11 (Mini).
That Mignon seems to be close to the HBxWA5 (height of Bible, width of A5 = 171x148).
Hans
Daytimer Portable
ReplyDeleteHello.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Deskfax (=B5?) could be added ?
I don't know if B6 does existe un ring planners ?
Thank you
Actually, I am maintaining a list since 2012. There are still some errors, as the three sections (by brand, hole spacing and paper size) are maintained manually, due to the complexity.
ReplyDeleteThe list mainly contains "originators", not companies manufacturing "generic" ring planners for standard sizes. I also kicked out the A5-A6-A7-A8 "companies" recently, some of these entries are still in the "by paper size" view.
It might be a bit hard to read in the beginning, but the lists combine named standard, hole punching and paper size.
https://hjreggel.net/office/organizer_en.html
Hans
Thanks for promoting my work, Steve.
DeleteIn the meantime, I do realize that your list will be very helpful for prospective planner buyers. Please feel free to take over any entries that might be interesting is such a context: Planner makers for current popular paper size ringbinders.
In case of different hole spacings, you could mark the entries with an asterisk and a footnote that a non-standard hole spacing is used. For example Succes Mini, being a very special case: Does VdS still make this Mini format, both, or did they completely switch to "standard" Mini?
Another detail could be to add indicators regarding available wide or slim variants for "standard" sizes, instead of adding columns.
The intention of my list is to mainly list originators of size, hole spacing and namings - including discontinued formats and namings, but omitting duplicates and redundance.
There are quite a few super strange cases, such as the old Chronoplan A5 format of 20-20-80-20-20 hole spacing, or the Succes Office of 130x210 - where I was surpriesed to see them being already in my list. 14 Years is a long time...
Best regards,
Hans
Yes VDS switched over to 'standard' Mini ring spacing, I guess when they ran out of the old ring mechs.
DeleteThanks for the information. It's sad to see that standard fade away. But for the regular planner user, this means less confusion.
DeleteFor the "made in Sweden" hole punches (Regur Holix, Opto, etc.), no. 18 is for the standard Mini format (equally spaced), while no. 19 is for the Succes Mini format (unequal).
Speaking of brands: I think based on what people are asking for, the above list is complete.
ReplyDeleteThere were some "all brands" posts in the past, this is the most recent one I could find:
https://philofaxy.blogspot.com/2015/04/other-brands-of-ring-bound-organisers.html
Is there any more recnt complete list?
But which would be the current "main" brands worth adding to the size/name comparison?
Hans
These are some Japanese Brands and their wording for A5 - Personal - Pocket - Mini
ReplyDeleteI hope the character set displays nicely - it does while typing.
Filofax ファイロファックス
-A5
-Bible (バイブル)
-Pocket (ポケット) or Small (スモール)
-Mini 5 (ミニ5)
Raymay Fuji レイメイ藤井
-A5
-Bible (バイブル)
-Pocket (ポケット)
-Mini 5 (ミニ5)
Brelio ブレイリオ
-A5
-Bible (バイブル)
-Mini 6 (ミニ6)
-Mini 5 (ミニ5)
Ashford
-A5
-BIBLE（聖書サイズ）
-MINI6（ハガキサイズ）
-MICRO5（手のひらサイズ）
...and their special size: HB×WA5（正方形サイズ）
The same ending for all entries reads "size".
Ring sizes are usually given im millimeters, short "mili": ミリ, e.g. 8ミリ for 8mm.
Hans
Another question: What' about Mulberry?
ReplyDeleteThey still have two "Postman's Lock" models listed: One that seems to be a true A6 model marked "sold out", and a Pocket format. Both with an insane price tag, by the way.
Their former range was:
- Mulberry Planner for the A5
- Mulberry Agenda for the True-ISO-A6
- Mulberry Pocket for the Pocket
- Mulberry Social Organiser for the M2 format, also known as Mulberry Mini
At least the frist three would be worth adding.
Hans
The Dutch company Succes is worth adding.
ReplyDeleteThere are some rare/discontinued formats that are not worth adding to the list, because it would only complicate things.
- A4 was called "Business"
* A5 is "Executive", standard size 210x148
- A5 narrow was called "Office", at 210x130; super hard to find, I only have a photo of a refill pack from the net
* Personal is called "Standard", with standard dimensions 171x95
* ~A6 is called "Senior", at 150x95
- ~A6 narrow was called "Compact", 150x80
* Pocket is called "Junior", 125x80
* Mini is called "Mini" as well, 104x67, but with 1" spacing for the inner gaps, ¾" for the outer gaps.
It's interesting to see that there is a transition between the formats from 171 to 125mm height and 95 to 80mm width.
Hans