A7 Paper Size Guide.
The A7 paper size is one of the smallest formats as defined by the ISO 216 standard in 1975. It might not be as well-known as A4 or A5, but you’ve probably been handed an A7 paper before. The A7 paper size is half of an A6 sheet and is commonly used in the design of small leaflets.
Here are the essential features of the A7 paper size, a space-saving and very useful format.
Size of the different paper formats of the A series in mm and inches
The dimensions of the A7 paper size in inches, cm and mm.
When used for digital media, the A7 format in centimetres, millimetres and inches is as follows:
- 7.4 x 10.5 cm.
- 74 x 105 mm.
- 2.9 x 4.1 in.
When A7 paper is printed out for use in physical media, its printing area is:
- 78.12 cm².
- 0.08 m².
- 12.10 in².
As for the A7 pixel format, it depends on the resolution used for your file:
- For a resolution in 300 dpi, we get 878 x 1240 pixels / inches.
- For a resolution in 200 dpi, we get 585 x 827 pixels / inches.
- For a low resolution in 72 dpi, we get 211 x 297 pixels / inches.
In the worlds of graphic arts and printing, resolution is essential. The more pixels (or dots) per inch, the more “information” there is in the image, making your design more accurate.
Regarding the proportions of the A7 paper size, it follows a flawless logic: one sheet in A7 format corresponds to two sheets in A8 format, four sheets in A9 format and so on.
As shown on the size chart above, the A0 and A10 paper sizes keep the same proportions between width and length. Thus, the width of the A7 paper size is equal to the length of the A8 paper size and the length of the A7 paper size is equal to the width of the A6 format.
The German scientist Lichtenberg described the relation between width and length in A formats in 1786. But it was only in 1922 that this √2 aspect ratio was taken up by Porstmann and the German DIN 476.
This ratio guarantees a conservation of proportions:
- A7 = ¼ of A5
- A7 = ½ of A6
- A7 = 2 x A8
- A7 = 4 x A9
The A7 paper size is one of the smallest printable formats in the A range and is recommended if you only want to include a limited amount of information.
What is A7 paper size used for?
Marketing and promotional materials
The A7 format is used in the advertising and communication sector. As a marketing medium allowing easy diffusion and distribution, it is used to design small leaflets, flyers or stickers.
Image of notebooks in A7 format
Flyers, tickets and programmes
The A7 format can also be used to make flyers, programmes and entrance tickets for gig, festivals and other events. This is because it’s cheap to post and can easily fit in pockets and bags.
Stationery
In the stationery sector, A7 is used for small notebooks, greeting cards and post-its.
On a small format such as this one, one can use a vector application like Illustrator that allows the customised design of lettering or icons. It is important not to multiply the information placed in A7 format, so as not to confuse the message to be sent.
Printing with A7.
If you need to prepare a file for printing in A7 format and especially in the case of an image or illustration, it’s important to choose the right resolution. For an A7 format, it can be defined as 74 x 105 mm at 300 ppi (pixels per inch).
Resolution is not the only thing to consider. With InDesign you can also adjust the layout to your dimensions. When it comes to printing, make sure to add a 3 mm bleed margin so your visual comes out how you expect.