Users find nano banana beats ChatGPT image models on photorealism
On November 5, several Twitter users compared the photorealistic output of Google's nano banana against ChatGPT image generation (including the instant and thinking tiers of Images 2.6 and GPT Image 2.6 Flare). The prevailing conclusion: nano banana is clearly ahead on photo-level realism.
Confirmed
- After comparing the same selfie-style portrait prompt, @flowersslop said the ChatGPT version still has a clear "AI slop" feel—a fondness for polished doll faces and a 2015 Tumblr aesthetic—while nano banana performed better.
- @flowersslop also tested with "a candid iPhone photo of Sam Altman dancing in a tutu": the nano banana output (argon high) looked like a completely real photo; the author said that if the scene weren't absurd, no one would guess it was AI.
- @pigeons offered a stylistic observation: ChatGPT images tend toward a Tumblr/Reddit/Instagram "pretty social media" look, while Gemini's images feel more like random real people you might meet, and GPT images often have a slightly off background.
Not confirmed
- @Angaisb offered a different take: the new GPT Image 2.6 Flare model (NBP was also mentioned in the discussion) is competitive on photorealistic portraits too, provided the prompt is written correctly; in another post, they added that light post-generation editing (e.g., the red-haired woman's selfie in the woods sample) can further improve results. This suggests the comparison may hinge on prompt-writing and post-processing workflows, not purely on model differences.
Why it matters
This discussion highlights the current fault line in image-model competition: not resolution or instruction-following, but the aesthetic realism of "does it look like a casual phone snapshot." nano banana is considered the leader across several unofficial comparisons, but prompt engineering and post-generation editing can also significantly shift results—so users should weigh their entire workflow when choosing a model.
2026-11-05 ~ 2026-11-05 · 5 related posts
Primary sources
- [source] Image comparison: nano banana looks like a camera roll while ChatGPT Images 2.6 still screams AI slop — flowersslop · 2026-11-05
- User observation: ChatGPT images look social-media pretty, Gemini looks like strangers — pigeon__s · 2026-11-05
- NBP vs GPT Image 2.6 Flare: prompting makes or breaks photorealistic selfies — Angaisb_ · 2026-11-05
- Light post-editing after generation can further improve photorealistic AI images — Angaisb_ · 2026-11-05
- [source] Nano Banana vs ChatGPT: Same Prompt, One Looks Like a Real Photo, the Other "Slop" — flowersslop · 2026-11-05