Favourite Fonts? (with PDF for 5" & 6" to compare)

Coops · 04-06-2011, 04:50 AM

This has been discussed a few times, and the thread here
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98618
has a guide on one method of changing fonts in the Sony's. I've used the Boroda hack instead.
More info here
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...ht=Boroda+hack

All this mainly due to the Sony fonts being rather rubbish... and to compound the idiocy of designing an ereader with poor fonts, Sony also have ridiculous font sizes when choosing 'small' or 'medium' etc.

So, I've attached two PDF documents. One is for a 5" eink screen (PRS350/ 300), and one for the 6" screen (PRS650/505).
Each contains the same text, repeated in different fonts on separate pages (view using the default 's' size).
Download the size you need and transfer to your ereader.

Fonts I used for comparison are:-
Fontin, Joanna, Charis SIL, Droid Serif, Times New Roman, Georgia, Lucida Bright, Gill Sans, Helvetica.

I tried to keep text size as similar as possible and some fonts have extra page in a different size... Note that using the zoom to go to 'm' or 'l' etc won't be much use as the PDF doesn't reflow too well - instead :-

Use whichever of the attached two .doc Word files to change the font size and/or font to try out whatever you like. Then 'print to PDF' with the required page size (6" i use 9.1 x 12.3cm, 5" i use 7.6 x 10.1cm).

This is an easy way of testing fonts and getting the font size you like - without first needing to do any hack or epub CSS work. Then, once you've experimented and decided you do need to 'fix' your Sony you have a good idea of what font and the point size that will allow you to view it comfortably at the 'normal' small Sony display size.
It's also worth taking some trouble to format the line spacing and paragraph spacing - these PDF's have 2pt extra in between each paragraph. Most line spacing is single, but Charis SIL for example gave a huge space between lines with that setting and so is set at 'exactly' 12pt (for a 10pt font size).

Hope it's helpful - and others post examples with other favourite fonts!

You can see the difference it makes immediately, comparing 'Fontin' to the next page 'Joanna'. Joanna may well look very attractive on printed paper, but due to the lighter line weight it does not work so well on eink (for me). Droid Serif is clear but the x-height (?) is not to my liking...

I used Gill Sans for some time when I made PDF's of some books - far more attractive than Helvetica (or Arial), and comes installed on a Mac.

Coops

mcrmama · 04-06-2011, 11:32 AM

Neat! I think I prefer Gill Sans of the ones you have chosen there. That is likely since it is closer to what I have picked for using on my reader and feels like coming home, lol. I usually use Verdana. I have downloaded lexia-dama one day to try as well as I have heard good things about that one too.

Jodi

elemenoP · 04-07-2011, 09:39 AM

Hey, this is cool!

Thanks,
eP

entropy · 04-09-2011, 04:24 AM

Thanks for mocking that up, Coops!

I haven't got my reader (yet!) but Fontin looks best to me in the PDF you put together. Some people have mentioned they prefer bolder text on screen, and Fontin is nice and thick and looks good with the line spacing you chose.

Gill Sans is my second-favourite of the bunch because it is closer to what I would want to see on paper.

Coops · 04-09-2011, 08:44 AM

No worries....

I started with Gill Sans, once I'd found it on my Mac. Now, my 'normal' Word template uses Gill Sans - it's a curiously attractive font... especially so for a sans serif one.
Thanks to Gill Sans I'm now a bit obsessive about how the 'g' looks in a font - you'll notice Gill Sans has a bottom loop like most Serif fonts, whereas Arial, Helvetica are just a bit plain.

Gill Sans also manages to look good on all 3 main mediums - LCD (laptop) screens, eink and also printed out on paper. Only drawback is it's not a standard installed font on windows machines, so your docs will get reformatted when viewed on them - sadly.

It does seem like the line thickness is particularly important for eink - many otherwise attractive Serif fonts (Bembo?) you come across in paperbacks etc just don't work well at all on an eink screen.

The Charis SIL is quite effective too...

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04-06-2011, 11:32 AM	#2
mcrmama Addict Posts: 239 Karma: 16806 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo Aura One	Neat! I think I prefer Gill Sans of the ones you have chosen there. That is likely since it is closer to what I have picked for using on my reader and feels like coming home, lol. I usually use Verdana. I have downloaded lexia-dama one day to try as well as I have heard good things about that one too. Jodi

04-07-2011, 09:39 AM	#3
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	Hey, this is cool! Thanks, eP

04-09-2011, 04:24 AM	#4
entropy Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Perth, Australia Device: Sony PRS-350	Thanks for mocking that up, Coops! I haven't got my reader (yet!) but Fontin looks best to me in the PDF you put together. Some people have mentioned they prefer bolder text on screen, and Fontin is nice and thick and looks good with the line spacing you chose. Gill Sans is my second-favourite of the bunch because it is closer to what I would want to see on paper.

04-09-2011, 08:44 AM	#5
Coops Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 77756 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Kindle Oasis, Sony T3 backup	No worries.... I started with Gill Sans, once I'd found it on my Mac. Now, my 'normal' Word template uses Gill Sans - it's a curiously attractive font... especially so for a sans serif one. Thanks to Gill Sans I'm now a bit obsessive about how the 'g' looks in a font - you'll notice Gill Sans has a bottom loop like most Serif fonts, whereas Arial, Helvetica are just a bit plain. Gill Sans also manages to look good on all 3 main mediums - LCD (laptop) screens, eink and also printed out on paper. Only drawback is it's not a standard installed font on windows machines, so your docs will get reformatted when viewed on them - sadly. It does seem like the line thickness is particularly important for eink - many otherwise attractive Serif fonts (Bembo?) you come across in paperbacks etc just don't work well at all on an eink screen. The Charis SIL is quite effective too...

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