The question of which is the best printer for my instant photo business (whether it’s a photo booth, silly photo, or Instagram) is a popular topic that is always a point of discussion among entrepreneurs in this field. Depending on the design of your structure and many other factors, opinions can vary significantly. For some, choosing a photo booth printer can be a bit challenging. However, with the help of this article, you can find the right printer for your needs.

Every day we receive many emails asking “what are the best photo booth printers?” The answer is: it depends on your goal.

The factors to consider in your choice should be:

• Who is your target audience, and how much do you intend to invest: are there customers in the region willing to pay more for a differentiated quality service with high-quality photos?
• Support from the dealer and the manufacturer. Do you have someone to rely on if the equipment has problems? Are there options in your region?
• Durability: sublimation (thermal) technology is extremely reliable and robust;
• Convenience: would you mind having to change paper constantly during an event, or does that not matter?

When advising photo booth owners on purchasing photo printers, it is helpful to base ourselves on the terms “performance” and “economy“. Why? Printers in the performance category, as I listed below, are very different from printers in the economy category. High performance printers have some similar characteristics, such as speed, convenience, and a higher price. Economical printers tend to be slower, have lower image quality, and require a bit more labor to change paper since they support a limited amount of paper in the feeder.

High-Performance Ones

DNP DS RX1


This model remains unique in weight and size in its class. This unique personality makes this printer a popular choice among photo booth builders. Its printing capacity is impressive, considering it can produce 700 copies of 10x15cm (4×6 inches) on a single roll before it needs to be reloaded. Generally, printers with this type of capacity are bulky and heavy; however, the DSRX1 weighs only 13 kg!

SINFONIA CS2 Shinko S6145 (Alfa Olmec)

The world’s smallest and lightest professional photo printer! The coolest thing is that print quality is not sacrificed due to its size! Its external structure is very durable, considering the weight of the printer. This is the perfect choice for photo booth projects with limited space. The CS2 photo printer is currently one of the best cost-benefit options in the market.

Mitsubishi CP-K60DW-s

Mitsubishi designed this model to be used as a photo booth printer. It’s not the fastest printer, but it’s fast enough and has some really cool features. It is compact, so it is great for small photo booths. Much like its older sister, the CP70, the K60 is solid with a metal body. Front loading makes media replacement a very simple operation. One of the most interesting features of this printer is that it can make a square print of 6×6 inches. This feature has been popular with event photographers and is now starting to catch on with some instant photo companies that allow users to offer Instagram-style prints.
HiTi 510L

A photo printer with a unique profile. For those who like to have a “compartment” to catch prints, this printer fits the profile. When prints are ejected from the printer, unlike the other printers shown here, the print falls on the top of the printer body (see the image on the right). Some builders also prefer the ribbon load with this printer as the ribbon is housed in a single cartridge, which conveniently fits into place with little effort.

DNP DS40

If you are willing to spend extra money on a product that provides extra features, the DNP DS40 printer is an excellent choice. Photo booth print flows typically do not require the speed (or components) that this printer provides. With the DS40, you can also print in social media sizes and with perforations, giving you the opportunity to create new products for your clients.

Photo Samples
If you have read this article and still have doubts about the printer, I suggest contacting the supplier and asking for print samples! They are a great way for you to assess the quality of each of the printers firsthand.

The Economical Ones

Epson L375
Epson L800
HiTi S420
Canon Selphy

We will provide more details about the ones listed above soon, okay? 🙂