Typefaces for e-ink

GERGE · 07-19-2014, 04:49 AM

Which typefaces are you using? I am trying different typefaces these days and I came across many typefaces in here and around the web but almost all of them are not licensed. I am not going to use an unlicensed typeface.

So, which typefaces you are using that are free to use?

I decided to use this two after searching for a while:

Vollkorn, a nice and readable serif.
Bitter HT, a typeface designed for e-ink, really nice. Slab serif.

Debt is Vollkorn, I'll Be Right There is Bitter HT. Kobo Glo.

Alfy · 07-19-2014, 01:47 PM

I've grown very fond of the Amasis font since discovering it on my PRS T1, and I was overjoyed when I found out it also came with my newer Aura HD. I use that font in all my Calibre conversions, which is good and bad: on one hand, I always get a very enjoyable font; on the other, all books look the same. I'll have a look at those you posted, it might be worth it introducing some variety and having a rotation.

Ripplinger · 07-19-2014, 02:01 PM

My favorite is still LexiaDaMa. It's a thicker font that's pretty close to Amazon's Caecilia font that suits my crappy eyesight. If you search the forums for fonts, you'll find many threads about people's favorite fonts, many with samples posted like you have done.

In the end, choose what you like the best and find most enjoyable to read with.

HarryT · 07-19-2014, 02:08 PM

I'm completely "font agnostic". I always use whatever the default font is in any reading app or device; it's just not important to me. Probably the result of growing up with pbooks where one has no say in the matter of fonts

.

GERGE · 07-19-2014, 02:31 PM

Caecilia actually belongs to Linotype: http://www.linotype.com/1183474/PMNC...xt-family.html

Ken Maltby · 07-19-2014, 02:36 PM

I like the "Stone Serif Regular.ttf", it is a lot like your Bitter HT but perhaps a little darker, more solid.
Version: Altsys Fontographer 3.5 11/25/92

Luck;
Ken

jgaiser · 07-19-2014, 04:36 PM

My only requirement is that the font is serif. San-serif just doesn't work for me. Currently Caecilia on my Fire.

JSWolf · 07-19-2014, 04:54 PM

My font of choice is my modified Charis SIL. Very nice font for eInk. One of the best (IMHO).

It's free and the link is https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=184056

Tarana · 07-19-2014, 07:01 PM

I have vision issues and I find the standard font that comes with eink devices to work quite well. I just change the size.

JSWolf · 07-19-2014, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarana

I have vision issues and I find the standard font that comes with eink devices to work quite well. I just change the size.

In some cases, the default font lacks weight. That's why I modified CharisSIL to add more weight. So it gives more contrast and even at a larger size it looks better. The hinted version fixes some font issues such as thin lines. While the default font may be OK, a hand tweaked font can be better.

I have tried my version of CharisSIL on a Kindle Touch and it looks much better then the default Kindle font.

jandrew · 07-19-2014, 07:50 PM

I'm with Alfy -- I prefer the built-in Amasis font on my Aura HD. Some of the other built-ins, and a few I've sideloaded are acceptable, but I keep going back to Amasis. It just seems to disappear (so to speak) while I read, whereas other fonts seem to draw attention to themselves in one way or another.

Xanthe · 07-19-2014, 08:04 PM

I prefer Roboto regular. Better for my eyes in the larger font sizes. But I don't bother changing the fonts via Calibre; I just have this font set up as the default on Moon Reader.

GERGE · 07-19-2014, 11:48 PM

If you are using Roboto, you really should upgrade to the last month's release. It solves many problems the typeface has. Here: http://www.google.com/design/spec/style/typography.html

indyglow · 07-20-2014, 12:48 AM

I was using Amasis on my Kobo Aura HD for most of the reading but somtimes prefer to go with DroidSerif, just for the change.

Solitaire1 · 07-20-2014, 04:32 AM

I prefer Georgia when rendering ebook text, it's fairly easy to read at any size. The only thing I dislike about Georgia are the way it displays numbers. Example:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

In the case of the above, I usually choose another typeface for groups of numbers.

07-19-2014, 04:49 AM	#1
GERGE Guru Posts: 732 Karma: 5797160 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Istanbul Device: Kobo Libra	Typefaces for e-ink Which typefaces are you using? I am trying different typefaces these days and I came across many typefaces in here and around the web but almost all of them are not licensed. I am not going to use an unlicensed typeface. So, which typefaces you are using that are free to use? I decided to use this two after searching for a while: Vollkorn, a nice and readable serif. Bitter HT, a typeface designed for e-ink, really nice. Slab serif. Debt is Vollkorn, I'll Be Right There is Bitter HT. Kobo Glo. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by GERGE; 07-19-2014 at 02:59 PM.

07-19-2014, 02:31 PM	#5
GERGE Guru Posts: 732 Karma: 5797160 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Istanbul Device: Kobo Libra	Caecilia actually belongs to Linotype: http://www.linotype.com/1183474/PMNC...xt-family.html Last edited by GERGE; 07-21-2014 at 04:23 AM.

07-19-2014, 02:36 PM	#6
Ken Maltby Wizard Posts: 4,465 Karma: 6900052 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Heart of Texas Device: Boox Note2, AuraHD, PDA,	I like the "Stone Serif Regular.ttf", it is a lot like your Bitter HT but perhaps a little darker, more solid. Version: Altsys Fontographer 3.5 11/25/92 Luck; Ken Last edited by Ken Maltby; 07-19-2014 at 02:39 PM.

07-19-2014, 04:54 PM	#8
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,957 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	My font of choice is my modified Charis SIL. Very nice font for eInk. One of the best (IMHO). It's free and the link is https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=184056 Last edited by JSWolf; 07-18-2016 at 04:42 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Five Principles for Choosing and Using Typefaces	wallcraft	Workshop	0	12-15-2010 01:55 AM
BBC: Do Typefaces Really Matter?	kjk	General Discussions	1	07-21-2010 10:03 PM
Chinese novel typefaces	LDBoblo	Workshop	20	09-23-2009 08:06 PM
At Last: Front-Lit E-Ink, Flexible E-Ink and ... E-Ink Watches!	NatCh	News	1	10-27-2007 10:50 AM
the latest generation of E Ink's microencapsulated ink imaging film.	Jason	News	0	05-09-2007 10:01 AM

07-19-2014, 01:47 PM	#2
Alfy Liseur de Bonne Aventure Posts: 374 Karma: 2176666 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Paris, France Device: PRS T1	I've grown very fond of the Amasis font since discovering it on my PRS T1, and I was overjoyed when I found out it also came with my newer Aura HD. I use that font in all my Calibre conversions, which is good and bad: on one hand, I always get a very enjoyable font; on the other, all books look the same. I'll have a look at those you posted, it might be worth it introducing some variety and having a rotation.

07-19-2014, 02:01 PM	#3
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	My favorite is still LexiaDaMa. It's a thicker font that's pretty close to Amazon's Caecilia font that suits my crappy eyesight. If you search the forums for fonts, you'll find many threads about people's favorite fonts, many with samples posted like you have done. In the end, choose what you like the best and find most enjoyable to read with.

07-19-2014, 02:08 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm completely "font agnostic". I always use whatever the default font is in any reading app or device; it's just not important to me. Probably the result of growing up with pbooks where one has no say in the matter of fonts .

07-19-2014, 04:36 PM	#7
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,281 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	My only requirement is that the font is serif. San-serif just doesn't work for me. Currently Caecilia on my Fire.

07-19-2014, 07:01 PM	#9
Tarana Wizard Posts: 3,978 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	I have vision issues and I find the standard font that comes with eink devices to work quite well. I just change the size.

07-19-2014, 07:50 PM	#11
jandrew Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 2934438 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Winnipeg MB Canada Device: aura hd	I'm with Alfy -- I prefer the built-in Amasis font on my Aura HD. Some of the other built-ins, and a few I've sideloaded are acceptable, but I keep going back to Amasis. It just seems to disappear (so to speak) while I read, whereas other fonts seem to draw attention to themselves in one way or another.

07-19-2014, 08:04 PM	#12
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	I prefer Roboto regular. Better for my eyes in the larger font sizes. But I don't bother changing the fonts via Calibre; I just have this font set up as the default on Moon Reader.

07-19-2014, 11:48 PM	#13
GERGE Guru Posts: 732 Karma: 5797160 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Istanbul Device: Kobo Libra	If you are using Roboto, you really should upgrade to the last month's release. It solves many problems the typeface has. Here: http://www.google.com/design/spec/style/typography.html

07-20-2014, 12:48 AM	#14
indyglow Connoisseur Posts: 77 Karma: 101837 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: iPad Air, Kobo Forma, Kobo Aura HD (RIP)	I was using Amasis on my Kobo Aura HD for most of the reading but somtimes prefer to go with DroidSerif, just for the change.

07-20-2014, 04:32 AM	#15
Solitaire1 Samurai Lizard Posts: 14,247 Karma: 66666666 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: NookColor	I prefer Georgia when rendering ebook text, it's fairly easy to read at any size. The only thing I dislike about Georgia are the way it displays numbers. Example: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 In the case of the above, I usually choose another typeface for groups of numbers.