fontssmall-capstexlive
The TeX font catalogue doesn't allow you to see which fonts have real small caps. Some fonts do not have real small caps (e.g. any of the mathdesign ones). But some do (computer modern and therefore lmodern and cm-super…)
I have restricted this to fonts that come with TeXLive, but I guess answers about other standard LaTeX distributions (MikTeX etc) wouldn't be out of place.
Calling the compilation of file.tex with
pdflatex "\pdfmapfile{}\input{file}"
won't read any map file and so use the pk files, possibly generating them. I don't find, however, that the CM-Super fonts aren't suitable for print.
If you need Type1 fonts other than CM, make a copy of pdftex.map, call it mypdftex.map and edit it to erase all fonts you don't want. Then put the file in the suitable search paths (the work directory is OK) and call
pdflatex "\pdfmapfile{mypdfmap.map}\input{file}"
If I compile in that way the simple file
\documentclass{standalone}
\begin{document}
abc $abc$ \emph{abc} \textbf{abc}
\end{document}
I get this
You can download the small pdf and see it's made with bitmap fonts.
I don't think I have a full answer but I found myself with a similar problem one day and solved it using bold versions of smaller fonts. For som fonts it works and for some it doesn't. This is where you skill and taste comes into effect. Here is my case where I think it works: (the \hskips are cause it's an abbreviation)
\documentclass[12pt]{memoir}
\usepackage[osf]{mathpazo}
\begin{document}
\newcommand{\inchi}{%
\mbox{\textsc{i}%
\hskip 0.1 em {\scriptsize \textbf{n}}%
\hskip 0.1 em {\normalsize \textsc{c}}%
\hskip 0.1 em {\scriptsize \textbf{h}}%
\hskip 0.1 em {\normalsize \textsc{i}}%
}
}
Lorem ipsum \inchi dolor\ldots
\end{document}
Best Answer
Two fonts with accurately designed small capitals are Palatino (
\usepackage[sc]{mathpazo}) and Libertine (\usepackage{libertine}).No. 2, p. 17 of the 2005 volume of the "TeXnische Komödie" (the journal of the German-speaking TeX community DANTE) includes an article by Ralf Stubner and Walter Schmidt about the design of "real small caps" and oldstyle figures for the Palatino. The text is in German, but see page 21 for a lineup of "real" and "faked" small capitals.