The Challenge
Finding the perfect AI model for photorealistic images - portraits, product shots, professional photography - isn't easy when dozens of models claim "photorealism." I tested the top 4 contenders with identical prompts to see which delivers truly professional results.
Models Tested
- Google Imagen 4 (
fal-ai/imagen4/preview) - Google's flagship model
- FLUX Pro Ultra (
fal-ai/flux-pro/v1.1-ultra) - 2K resolution with enhanced photo realism
- Nano Banana Pro (
fal-ai/nano-banana-pro) - Google's state-of-the-art generation/editing model
- FLUX Realism LoRA (
fal-ai/flux-2-lora-gallery/realism) - Purpose-built photorealism enhancement
Test 1: Professional Portrait
Prompt: "Professional headshot portrait of a middle-aged business woman, natural lighting, shallow depth of field, corporate background"
Results Analysis
Winner: Nano Banana Pro
- Skin texture: Most natural and detailed without over-processing
- Lighting: Perfectly balanced natural light with realistic catchlights
- Depth of field: Smooth bokeh with professional separation
- Composition: Corporate modern aesthetic, professional presentation
Runner-up: FLUX Pro Ultra
- Excellent detail and sharpness (2K resolution advantage)
- Very professional composition with confident posing
- Slightly more stylized than pure photorealism
- Higher resolution (1792x2368) gives more detail
Others:
- Imagen 4: Good quality but slightly softer, less detail in skin texture
- FLUX Realism: Natural look but less refined than Nano Banana Pro
Test 2: Product Photography
Prompt: "Product photography of a leather watch on a marble surface, studio lighting, high detail, commercial quality"
Results Analysis
Winner: Imagen 4
- Material rendering: Exceptional leather texture and marble veining
- Lighting: Professional studio setup with realistic reflections
- Detail level: Crisp watch details, realistic stitching
- Commercial quality: Matches professional product photography standards
Runner-up: Nano Banana Pro
- Clean, professional presentation
- Good material rendering
- Slightly less dramatic lighting than Imagen 4
Others:
- FLUX Pro Ultra: Beautiful but more artistic/dramatic (black marble background)
- FLUX Realism: Good quality but standard execution
Key Findings
Best Overall: Nano Banana Pro
Use for: Professional portraits, headshots, people photography
Strengths:
- Most natural skin tones and textures
- Excellent lighting understanding
- Perfect for human subjects
- Fast generation (Google infrastructure)
Best for Products: Imagen 4
Use for: Product photography, still life, commercial shots
Strengths:
- Superior material rendering
- Professional studio lighting
- Excellent detail preservation
- Clean, commercial aesthetic
Best for High-Res: FLUX Pro Ultra
Use for: When you need maximum resolution and detail
Strengths:
- Up to 2K resolution (2752x1536 for landscape)
- Exceptional sharpness
- Great for printing or large displays
- More artistic interpretation
Best for Quick Realism: FLUX Realism LoRA
Use for: Quick photorealistic enhancements, batch work
Strengths:
- Fast generation
- Consistent results
- Good baseline photorealism
- Adds automatic realism keywords to prompts
Recommendations
For portraits/people: Use Nano Banana Pro - unmatched natural skin tones and lighting
For products/objects: Use Imagen 4 - superior material rendering and commercial quality
For maximum detail: Use FLUX Pro Ultra - highest resolution and sharpness
For batch work: Use FLUX Realism - fast, consistent, reliable
Technical Notes
All models tested at $0.025/megapixel pricing. Generation times were 2-7 seconds for all models (excellent performance across the board).
Aspect ratio notes: FLUX LoRA models use specific presets (portrait_4_3, landscape_16_9, etc.) while Imagen/Nano Banana support standard ratios (3:4, 16:9, etc.).
Conclusion
There's no single "best" model - it depends on your subject. For the most photorealistic human portraits, Nano Banana Pro is unbeatable. For product photography and commercial work, Imagen 4 delivers superior material rendering. FLUX Pro Ultra excels when you need maximum resolution.
The AI image generation landscape in late 2025 is incredibly strong - all four models produce professional-quality results that would be difficult to distinguish from real photography in many cases.