Which DNP Printer to Buy: DS-RX1HS vs DS620 vs QW410

DNP printers are a go-to reference when you need a professional photo printer for events, booths, activations or studios. Their popularity comes down to three highly valued factors: print quality, speed and reliability under continuous use.

The choice between the QW410 and the DS620 will depend above all on your workload, the print format and the mobility you need.

When people search for DNP printers (in the plural) they usually mean two families within the DNP range: the DS series, desktop and high-output, with the DNP DS620 as the flagship, and the QW series, with the compact DNP QW410 for mobile work. They are the two best-selling DNP printers for photo booths and events, and the two we supply direct from the manufacturer.

The rest of the DNP range (DS-RX1HS, DS820, SL620 and others) shares the same dye-sublimation technology and the same consumable format (paper + ribbon kit), but for 95% of event businesses the real decision is QW410 vs DS620. That is why this guide focuses on those two models: choose the right one and the consumable will serve you for years.

DNP QW410

A compact, lightweight option that's very practical for mobile work. At ~6 kg and dimensions of roughly 208 × 240 × 198 mm, it's the ideal printer if moving between events is part of the business. It prints 10×15 cm in about 18.8 seconds.

DNP DS620

A higher-performance option, faster and with more flexibility in sizes and strips. It prints 10×15 cm in around 8.4 seconds and supports formats such as 15×15 cm and strips.

Quick rule

If your priority is mobility and transport, the QW410 is your printer. If you prioritize speed, formats and volume, the DS620 is the better investment.

The QW410 is one of the best options if you need a compact photo printer that's very easy to transport. It's aimed at mobile operators, event photographers and businesses that want a lightweight yet professional printer.

The DS620 is the more suitable option if you're after heavy workloads, very high speed and a wider variety of formats. In demanding settings the performance difference is very noticeable.

The DS-RX1HS is the middle ground most operators pick: 960 €, around 290 prints of 10×15 per hour (≈12.4 s per photo) and glossy and matte finishes without changing paper. It ships with DNP’s official Hot Folder Print software, which prints automatically whatever your booth drops into a watched folder, so it runs with nobody standing over it. Its media kit has the highest yield of the three: 1,400 prints of 10×15 per kit (2 rolls + 2 ribbons).

DNP uses different names for the same model depending on the market, which makes searching confusing. On DNP’s European site the range appears as DP-DS620, DP-QW410, DS-RX1HS, DP-DS820 and DP-DS820DX; on the US site the same machines are listed as DS620A, QW410, DS-RX1HS, DS820A, SL620A II and IDW520. That is why you will see "DNP DS620A" or "DNP 620A" in manuals, drivers and listings: it is the name DNP publishes on its US site.

Of that range, the three we supply direct from the manufacturer are the DS-RX1HS, the DS620 and the QW410, which cover 95% of photo booth and event use. The DS820 / DS820DX is the large-format model (up to 20×30 cm) and the SL620 / SL620A II is the kiosk version. Models such as the DS40 or the DS80 belong to earlier generations and are no longer in DNP’s current range: if you own one, its media is different and you should check compatibility before ordering paper.

Once you have made your choice, you can see price and specs for each model on its product page: buy the DNP DS620 printer (the high-volume one) or buy the DNP QW410 printer (the most portable). And if you want the best speed-to-price balance for wedding and event photo booths, look at the DNP DS-RX1HS printer: fast (~290 photos/hour), glossy and matte without changing paper, and Hot Folder Print software included. All direct from the manufacturer, with international shipping.

If your business is not about 10×15 keepsakes but about big prints (event posters, studio portraits, trade fairs, gallery work), the model for that is the DNP DS820. It is the only DNP that reaches 20×30 cm (8×12") and A4, at 33.9 s per 8×12 print in Pure Premium and 39.2 s in Standard. It weighs 14 kg and measures 322 × 366 × 170 mm, so it is a desktop machine, not a car-boot one.

It takes 10×20, 13×20, 15×20, 20×25 and 20×30 cm, and there is also the DS820DX variant, which prints double-sided (duplex) for albums and menu cards. It is not in the comparison above because it plays in another category: it does not compete with the RX1HS or the DS620, it complements them. Full specs and price on the DNP DS820 printer page.

Here is the key to the business: you buy the DNP printer once, but you buy paper and ribbon again event after event. It is a recurring consumable, like coffee capsules. That is why, more than the price of the machine, what decides your profitability is the cost per print and never running out of stock.

Each model uses its own consumable: the DS620 takes DNP DS620 paper (up to 800 prints per case) and the QW410 takes DNP QW410 paper (300 prints per case). They are not interchangeable, so check which DNP paper to buy first and how the consumable works in the DNP photo paper guide. If you print regularly we offer a paper replenishment programme with scheduled restocking and volume pricing, so you are never left stranded mid-season. Comparing brands before deciding? Here are DNP vs Citizen, DNP vs HiTi and DNP vs Mitsubishi. And if the technology itself is the question, dye sublimation vs inkjet.

Head to head on the two that travel differently: DNP QW410 vs DS-RX1HS.