Nano Banana Pro vs Seedream V4.5

Portrait photography with environmental context tests how each model handles human features, natural lighting, and atmospheric conditions. The marine biologist scene requires convincing skin textures, realistic hair behavior in wind, and authentic weathering that tells a story.

In our testing, both models produced compelling portraits, though Nano Banana Pro showed marginally better handling of fine facial details and more naturalistic skin rendering. Seedream V4.5's output was excellent and would satisfy most professional requirements, with slightly more processed-looking results in some generations. The quality gap narrows considerably when you consider the 4x cost difference.

Product photography demands precise material rendering, controlled lighting, and attention to reflective surfaces. A luxury watch with visible mechanics tests metal textures, glass clarity, and the interplay of light across multiple surfaces.

Both models handled this challenging subject well. Nano Banana Pro produced slightly more refined metallic textures and cleaner reflections on glass surfaces. Seedream V4.5's output was commercial-quality and would work well for most e-commerce or marketing applications. The difference becomes most apparent when examining fine mechanical details at full resolution.

Text rendering is one of the most challenging aspects of image generation. A neon sign tests letter formation, consistent styling, and the additional complexity of glowing effects and reflections.

This is where Nano Banana Pro's advantage becomes clear. Its text rendering consistently produced more accurate letterforms with better consistency across the sign. Seedream V4.5's text was often good but showed more variation between generations and occasional character issues. For designs requiring readable text, Nano Banana Pro justifies its premium here.

Complex scenes with multiple subjects, varied lighting, and environmental detail test a model's ability to maintain coherence across the entire frame. A busy market scene requires convincing human figures, realistic food presentation, and atmospheric lighting.

Both models produced compelling market scenes with good compositional balance. Nano Banana Pro showed slightly better consistency in human figures and more naturalistic crowd behavior. Seedream V4.5 occasionally produced figures with minor anatomical issues but overall delivered scenes that would work well for most applications. The quality difference was present but not dramatic.

The core question isn't which model is "better" but which delivers appropriate quality for your specific needs. Nano Banana Pro costs nearly 4x more than Seedream and also takes over 3x longer to generate. These trade-offs matter differently depending on your workflow.

For most production work, Seedream V4.5 represents the sweet spot: excellent quality, fast generation, 4K support, and reasonable cost. Reserve Nano Banana Pro for final hero images, text-critical designs, or situations where the absolute highest quality is required. A hybrid workflow—iterating with Seedream, finishing with Nano Banana Pro—often makes economic sense.