Review
Photo Printer Review
DNP DS-RX1HS Review
One of the most proven photo booth and event printers ever made.
The DNP DS-RX1HS is a dependable, high-capacity dye-sublimation printer trusted by photo booth operators, event photographers, schools, attractions, and retail photo businesses.
Proven Speed
4×6 in 12.4 sec
Reliable
Industry workhorse
High Capacity
700 4×6 per roll
Format Support
2×6 to 6×8
9.1out of 10Excellent
Quick Verdict
The DNP DS-RX1HS is one of the most widely used professional dye-sublimation photo printers in the event photography industry. Its popularity is not based on flashy features or marketing claims. Instead, it has earned its reputation through years of reliable operation in photo booths, school photography programs, theme parks, retail kiosks, and event photography businesses.
While newer printers may offer faster speeds or additional media options, the DS-RX1HS remains a favorite among professionals who value reliability, predictable operating costs, and high media capacity.
For businesses that need a dependable workhorse capable of producing hundreds of prints during a single event, the RX1HS continues to be one of the safest investments available.
Key Takeaways
- Prints a 4×6 photo in approximately 12.4 seconds
- Produces up to 290 4×6 prints per hour
- Supports 2×6 strips, 4×6, 5×7, 6×6, and 6×8 prints
- Up to 700 4×6 prints per roll
- Up to 1,400 4×6 prints per case
- Glossy and matte finishes without changing media
- Widely supported by photo booth and event software
- Trusted by event professionals worldwide
Performance Ratings
Why You Can Trust This Review
PhotoPrinters.com is operated by professionals who have been serving the photo printing industry since 1996.
Our experience includes working directly with photo booth operators, event photographers, schools, attractions, retailers, and commercial printing businesses throughout North America.
- Official manufacturer specifications
- Industry experience
- Real-world deployment knowledge
- Competitive product analysis
- Long-term ownership considerations
What Is the DNP DS-RX1HS?
The DNP DS-RX1HS is a professional dye-sublimation photo printer designed specifically for high-volume event printing. The “HS” stands for High Speed and represents an improvement over the original DNP DS-RX1.
The printer was developed to provide a balance of fast output, low operating costs, compact size, high media capacity, and professional image quality.
These characteristics have made it one of the most widely deployed printers in the photo booth industry.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Technology | Dye Sublimation Thermal Transfer |
| Resolution | 300×300 dpi High Speed / 300×600 dpi High Resolution |
| Maximum Print Size | 6×8 |
| Print Finishes | Glossy and Matte |
| Connection | USB 2.0 |
| Weight | Approx. 30 lbs |
| Supported Sizes | 2×6, 4×6, 5×7, 6×6, 6×8 |
Print Quality
Rating: 9.0 / 10
The DS-RX1HS uses dye-sublimation technology, which remains one of the most popular printing methods for event photography and instant photo printing.
Unlike inkjet printers, dye-sub technology produces smooth tonal transitions without visible dots or banding.
- Excellent skin tones
- Smooth color gradients
- Consistent color reproduction
- Water-resistant prints
- Fingerprint-resistant finish
- Protective overcoat layer
For weddings, parties, school photography, and photo booth applications, image quality remains excellent.
Print Speed
Rating: 8.9 / 10
The RX1HS remains competitive despite its age.
| Print Size | Speed |
|---|---|
| 4×6 | 12.4 seconds |
| 6×8 | 22 seconds |
| 2×6 Strip | Approximately 14 seconds |
This translates to approximately 290 4×6 prints per hour under optimal conditions. For most event applications, this is more than sufficient to keep lines moving and guests satisfied.
Media Capacity
Rating: 9.8 / 10
One of the RX1HS’s biggest strengths is media capacity.
| Size | Prints Per Roll | Prints Per Case |
|---|---|---|
| 4×6 | 700 | 1,400 |
| 5×7 | 400 | 800 |
| 6×8 | 350 | 700 |
This remains one of the highest capacities in its class.
Running Costs
Rating: 9.4 / 10
The RX1HS is known for predictable operating costs.
- No ink cartridges
- No clogged print heads
- Minimal maintenance
- Consistent cost per print
- Long media runs
For businesses printing thousands of photos each year, these benefits can significantly reduce operational headaches.
Reliability
Rating: 9.5 / 10
Reliability is arguably the RX1HS’s strongest attribute. Many operators have used these printers for years while producing hundreds of thousands of prints.
The platform is mature, widely supported, and well understood by technicians and software developers. This is one of the reasons it remains a common recommendation for new photo booth businesses.
Can the DNP DS-RX1HS Print 2×6 Photo Booth Strips?
Yes. The DS-RX1HS supports 2×6 photo booth strips and remains one of the most popular printers used in the photo booth industry.
Like other professional DNP event printers, the printer creates 2×6 strips from standard 4×6 media using supported driver settings and software workflows.
This approach allows operators to produce traditional photo booth strips without requiring a separate dedicated 2×6 paper size.
DNP DS-RX1HS vs DNP DS620A
This is one of the most common comparisons in the industry.
Choose the DS-RX1HS if
- You prioritize reliability
- You want fewer media changes
- You operate high-volume events
- You want lower media costs
Choose the DS620A if
- You want faster printing
- You need metallic media support
- You want silver pearl media support
- You want DNP’s newer printer platform
Both remain excellent professional printers.
What We Like
- Proven reliability
- Large media capacity
- Excellent print quality
- Widely supported by software vendors
- Low operating costs
- Compact footprint
- Matte and glossy finishes from the same media
Things To Consider
- Maximum print size limited to 6×8
- No metallic media options
- No silver pearl media options
- Not as fast as newer models
Who This Printer Is For
Photo Booth Operators
One of the most popular photo booth printers ever produced. Its large media capacity minimizes interruptions during weddings, parties, and corporate activations.
Event Photographers
Ideal for photographers offering instant prints at weddings, sporting events, galas, fundraisers, and experiential marketing activations.
School Photography Programs
Large media capacity helps reduce downtime during high-volume portrait days.
Theme Parks & Attractions
Reliable enough for daily operation in demanding customer-facing environments.
Retail Photo Kiosks
Well suited for businesses that require consistent print quality and dependable uptime.
Consider Another Printer If
Our Verdict
The DNP DS-RX1HS earns our recommendation because of its outstanding reliability, strong print quality, high media capacity, and low operating costs.
9.1/ 10
★★★★☆
More than a decade after its introduction, it remains one of the industry’s most trusted professional photo printers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bottom Line
The DNP DS-RX1HS is not the newest photo printer on the market, nor is it the fastest.
What it offers is something many professionals value even more: proven reliability. For photo booth operators, event photographers, schools, attractions, and retail photo businesses that require dependable high-volume printing, the RX1HS continues to be one of the most trusted printers in the industry.
Official Specs
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Technology | Dye Sublimation Thermal Transfer |
| Resolution | 300×300 dpi High Speed / 300×600 dpi High Resolution |
| Maximum Print Size | 6×8 |
| 4×6 Speed | Approximately 12.4 seconds |
| 6×8 Speed | Approximately 22 seconds |
| 2×6 Strip Speed | Approximately 14 seconds |
| Print Finishes | Glossy and Matte |
| Connection | USB 2.0 |
| Weight | Approx. 30 lbs |
| Supported Sizes | 2×6, 4×6, 5×7, 6×6, 6×8 |
| 4×6 Media Capacity | 700 prints per roll / 1,400 per case |
| 5×7 Media Capacity | 400 prints per roll / 800 per case |
| 6×8 Media Capacity | 350 prints per roll / 700 per case |
Specifications should be verified against the manufacturer’s official documentation before publication.
DNP Launches Dye Sublimation Photo Printer DS-RX1HS Increasing the Print Speed by as much as 20%
Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) announces the global launch on May 11th, 2016 of DS-RX1HS, a new 6 inch dye sublimation photo printer which is the successor model of DS-RX1, to boost print speed by as much as 20%1.
At the same time, a new accompanying consumable ink ribbon and paper set – the RX1HS MEDIA SET- will also be launched, with both set to be initially marketed in North America and in Asia starting from early summer.
1: Print speed may differ based on print size and/or print mode.
Background
In recent years, print demand is expanding in various scenes such as ID photo in Asia, instant prints at supermarkets and drug store chains in North America and in Europe. Since 2011, DNP has been widely promoting DS-RX1 for such needs in the global market as an entry model of dye sublimation photo printers.
In the latest development, DNP successfully improved print speed of DS-RX1with high print quality and keeping it affordable at the same time. DS-RX1HS will be introduced to the market as the faster model of DS-RX1.
Features
DS-RX1HS
- Improved print speed compared to DS-RX1 by as much as 20%. DS-RX1HS will produce approximately 290 prints per hour (in case 4″x 6″ /101 x 152 mm print size).
- DS-RX1HS and accompanying consumable remain competitive and affordable both for initial investment and running cost.
- One roll of media (4″ x 6″ /101 x 152 mm) produces prints up to 700.
- 2 PC size: Postcard size, 101 x 152 mm, 4 x 6 inches
RX1HS MEDIA SET (Ink Ribbon and Paper)
- The newly launched media set can be used for both DS-RX1HS and DS-RX1.
- Helps improving print speed while maintaining the image quality as high as DS-RX1.
More details at https://www.global.dnp
