The B-series paper sizes are part of the ISO 216 international standard, designed to complement the A-series. While less commonly known, B-sizes serve specific purposes—from large-format posters to passport pages and book covers.
Understanding B-series dimensions helps designers choose the right format for specialized print projects.
The B-Series System
The B-series follows the same mathematical logic as the A-series: each size is half the area of the previous one, maintaining a 1:√2 aspect ratio (approximately 1:1.414).
The key difference? B-series dimensions fall between A-series sizes. B1 is between A0 and A1, B2 is between A1 and A2, and so on. This makes B-sizes useful when A-sizes are either too large or too small.
Complete B-Series Reference
Dimensions at a Glance
| Size | mm | Inches | Pixels (300 DPI) | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B0 | 1000 × 1414 | 39.4 × 55.7 | 11811 × 16701 | Large posters, wall charts |
| B1 | 707 × 1000 | 27.8 × 39.4 | 8350 × 11811 | Posters, flip charts |
| B2 | 500 × 707 | 19.7 × 27.8 | 5906 × 8350 | Posters, wall calendars |
| B3 | 353 × 500 | 13.9 × 19.7 | 4169 × 5906 | Small posters, menus |
| B4 | 250 × 353 | 9.8 × 13.9 | 2953 × 4169 | Newspapers, large books |
| B5 | 176 × 250 | 6.9 × 9.8 | 2079 × 2953 | Books, magazines |
| B6 | 125 × 176 | 4.9 × 6.9 | 1476 × 2079 | Pocket books, planners |
| B7 | 88 × 125 | 3.5 × 4.9 | 1039 × 1476 | Passport pages, small books |
| B8 | 62 × 88 | 2.4 × 3.5 | 732 × 1039 | Playing cards, labels |
| B9 | 44 × 62 | 1.7 × 2.4 | 520 × 732 | Small labels |
| B10 | 31 × 44 | 1.2 × 1.7 | 366 × 520 | Tiny labels, stamps |
B0 - The Largest B-Size (1000 × 1414 mm)
B0 is the largest standard B-size at exactly 1 meter wide. It's significantly larger than A0 and used for large-format printing.
Common applications:
- Large wall posters
- Exhibition displays
- Technical drawings
- Wall-mounted charts
→ Create a B0 canvas (300 DPI)
→ Create a B0 canvas (100 DPI - faster preview)
B1 - Large Poster (707 × 1000 mm)
B1 sits between A0 and A1, offering a useful intermediate size for posters and displays.
Common applications:
- Event posters
- Movie posters
- Retail displays
- Flip charts
→ Create a B1 canvas (300 DPI)
→ Create a B1 canvas (100 DPI)
B2 - Standard Poster (500 × 707 mm)
B2 is a popular poster size, larger than A2 but smaller than A1. It's commonly used in advertising and retail.
Common applications:
- Advertising posters
- Wall calendars
- Store displays
- Art prints
→ Create a B2 canvas (300 DPI)
→ Create a B2 canvas (100 DPI)
B3 - Small Poster (353 × 500 mm)
B3 works well for smaller posters and large-format documents.
Common applications:
- Small posters
- Restaurant menus
- Promotional materials
- Maps
→ Create a B3 canvas (300 DPI)
→ Create a B3 canvas (100 DPI)
B4 - Large Document (250 × 353 mm)
B4 is commonly used for newspapers in some countries and for large-format documents.
Common applications:
- Newspapers (in some countries)
- Large books
- Technical documents
- Official forms
→ Create a B4 canvas (300 DPI)
B5 - Book Size (176 × 250 mm)
B5 is one of the most commonly used B-sizes, popular for books and magazines. It's between A4 and A5 in size.
Common applications:
- Books and novels
- Magazines
- Journals
- Catalogs
- Academic publications
→ Create a B5 canvas (300 DPI)
B5 for Publishing
B5 is particularly popular in Asian publishing markets, especially Japan, where it's a standard manga and magazine format.
B6 - Pocket Book (125 × 176 mm)
B6 is popular for compact books and planners, especially in Japan’s bunkobon (文庫本) format. While sometimes confused with passport sizing, actual ICAO-compliant passports use the smaller B7/ID-3 format.
Common applications:
- Pocket books and novels
- Planners
- Small notebooks
- Japanese bunkobon (文庫本) format
→ Create a B6 canvas (300 DPI)
B7 - Passport Interior (88 × 125 mm)
B7 aligns with the ISO/ICAO ID-3 passport page size, making it the true standard for machine-readable passports worldwide. It’s also useful for very small books and reference cards.
Common applications:
- Passport booklets and visa pages
- Pocket reference cards
- Very small books
- ID documents (approximate)
→ Create a B7 canvas (300 DPI)
B8 - Playing Card Size (62 × 88 mm)
B8 is approximately playing card size, used for game cards and small items.
Common applications:
- Playing cards
- Trading cards
- Small labels
- Business cards (in some regions)
→ Create a B8 canvas (300 DPI)
B9 and B10 - Micro Sizes
These tiny sizes are used for labels, stamps, and specialty applications.
B9 (44 × 62 mm)
→ Create a B9 canvas (300 DPI)
B10 (31 × 44 mm)
→ Create a B10 canvas (300 DPI)
B-Series vs A-Series Comparison
| B-Size | Dimensions | Between A-Sizes |
|---|---|---|
| B0 | 1000 × 1414 | Larger than A0 |
| B1 | 707 × 1000 | Between A0 and A1 |
| B2 | 500 × 707 | Between A1 and A2 |
| B3 | 353 × 500 | Between A2 and A3 |
| B4 | 250 × 353 | Between A3 and A4 |
| B5 | 176 × 250 | Between A4 and A5 |
| B6 | 125 × 176 | Between A5 and A6 |
When to Use B-Series
Choose B-series when A-series sizes don't quite fit:
Posters and Displays
When A2 is too small but A1 is too large, B2 offers the perfect middle ground.
Books and Publications
B5 provides more reading space than A5 while remaining portable.
Passports and IDs
B6 and B7 are international standards for travel documents.
Intermediate Needs
Any time you need a size between two A-series formats.
DPI and Pixel Calculations
Calculate pixels for any B-size at your desired DPI:
Formula:
Pixels = (mm × DPI) ÷ 25.4
Common DPI Settings
| DPI | Quality | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| 72 | Screen only | Web graphics |
| 150 | Draft print | Proofs, internal |
| 300 | Standard print | Professional printing |
| 600 | High quality | Fine detail work |
Print Specifications
Bleed Requirements
Add 3mm bleed on all sides for professional printing:
| Size | With 3mm Bleed |
|---|---|
| B4 | 256 × 359 mm |
| B5 | 182 × 256 mm |
| B6 | 131 × 182 mm |
Safe Area
Keep critical content 5mm from trim edges.
Regional Usage
B-series popularity varies by region:
Japan
- B4 and B5 are extremely common
- Standard for magazines and books
- Many office documents use B-sizes
Europe
- Less common than A-series
- Used for specific applications
- Posters often use B-sizes
North America
- Rarely used
- US Letter and Legal dominate
- B-sizes mainly for international projects
Scaling Between B-Sizes
Like A-series, B-sizes scale at these percentages:
| From → To | Scale |
|---|---|
| B4 → B3 | 141% |
| B4 → B5 | 71% |
| B5 → B4 | 141% |
| B5 → B6 | 71% |
The consistent 1:√2 ratio makes scaling designs seamless.
Summary
The B-series fills gaps between A-sizes, offering useful intermediate formats for specific applications.
Most used B-sizes:
- B1 (707 × 1000 mm): Large posters
- B2 (500 × 707 mm): Standard posters
- B5 (176 × 250 mm): Books, magazines
- B6 (125 × 176 mm): Passports, pocket books
Choose B-series when A-series sizes are too large or too small for your project.
