tomevault-io AI Visual Creation
Decision frameworks for AI image and video generation. Not tutorials — corrections, gotchas, and "which tool for which job."
Midjourney: Version Gotchas
V7 Breaking Changes (Critical)
| Feature | V6 | V7 |
|---|---|---|
Multi-prompt :: weighting |
✅ Works | ⚠️ CHANGED (different behavior) |
Negative weights ::-0.5 |
✅ Works | ⚠️ Less predictable |
--cref (Character Ref) |
✅ | ❌ DEPRECATED (use --oref) |
--stylize scale |
0-1000 | 0-1000 (different results!) |
--no parameter |
✅ | ✅ |
--iw range |
0-2 | 0-3 |
--oref (Omni Reference) |
❌ | ✅ New (2x GPU cost) |
--draft mode |
❌ | ✅ New (10x faster, half cost) |
--exp parameter |
❌ | ✅ New (0-100) |
Stylize Scale Migration: V6 --s 100 ≈ V7 --s 300-400 | V6 --s 250 ≈ V7 --s 600-700
V7 workarounds for changed weighting:
- Word order matters (early = more weight)
- Use natural language emphasis
--nofor exclusion- Repetition for emphasis
V6 prompt: cyberpunk::2 nature::1 dystopian::-0.5
V7 equivalent: cyberpunk city with nature elements, NOT dystopian --no dystopian, grim, dark
Midjourney: Reference Type Decision
Quick Selector
| I want... | Use | Parameter | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composition inspiration + text | Image Prompt | --iw 1-2 |
All |
| Same aesthetic, different subject | --sref |
--sw 100-300 |
All |
| Same character, new pose/outfit | --cref |
--cw 0-50 |
V6 only |
| Same character, keep everything | --cref |
--cw 100 |
V6 only |
| Exact object/character preservation | --oref |
--ow 100-400 |
V7 only |
⚠️ V7 Migration: --cref deprecated in V7. Use --oref instead (works for characters AND objects).
Reference Type Deep Dive
Image Prompt (--iw)
- Mental model: Addition (image + text = result)
- Preserves: Composition, layout
- Changes: Details, style via text
- Range: 0-3 (V7), 0-2 (V6)
Style Reference (--sref)
- Mental model: Multiplication (style × subject = result)
- Preserves: Color palette, mood, rendering
- Changes: Subject, composition entirely
- Range: --sw 0-1000
Character Reference (--cref) — V6 ONLY
- ⚠️ Deprecated in V7 — use
--orefinstead - CRITICAL: Works best with Midjourney-generated images, NOT real photos
- --cw 0 = face only (max outfit flexibility)
- --cw 100 = everything (face, hair, clothing)
- Cannot preserve: fine freckles, small logos, detailed tattoos
Omni Reference (--oref) — V7 ONLY
- 2x GPU cost
- Only ONE reference allowed
- NOT compatible with inpainting/outpainting or Draft mode
- Competing params: high --stylize needs higher --ow to balance
Common Failures
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Reference ignored | --iw too low | Increase to 2.0+ |
| Shape lost, got mandala | Symmetry bias | Add "asymmetrical", use --no symmetric, mandala |
| Character looks different | Using real photo | Use Midjourney-generated source |
| Style overwhelms shape | High --sw, low --iw | Lower --sw OR increase --iw |
| --oref not working | V6 or Draft mode | Switch to V7 standard mode |
Model Selection: Images
Decision Matrix
| Need | Best Choice | Why | Backup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photorealism | Flux 2 / Imagen 4 | Best benchmark quality | Midjourney V7 |
| Artistic/stylized | Midjourney V7 | Color harmony, mood, abstract | Leonardo.ai |
| Text in images | Ideogram 3.0 | 85-90% accuracy (best) | GPT Image 1.5 |
| Character consistency | Leonardo.ai | Custom LoRA training | Flux Kontext |
| Technical diagrams | Flux 2 | Text + spatial control | Recraft V3 |
| Speed priority | SDXL / SD4 Turbo | 13 sec/image | Ideogram Turbo |
| Quality priority | Flux 2 Pro | Best 2026 benchmarks | GPT Image 1.5 |
| Commercial safety | Adobe Firefly | Licensed training only | DALL-E 3 |
| Budget (API) | Flux Schnell | $0.003/image | SDXL |
| Open source | Stable Diffusion | 80% market share | HunyuanImage |
Text Rendering Hierarchy
Best → Worst: Ideogram 3.0 (85-90%) >> GPT Image 1.5 >> Recraft V3 >> Flux 2 (60%) >> Imagen 4 >> DALL-E 3 >> Midjourney V7 (15% better than V6, still poor)
Rule: If you need readable text, don't use Midjourney. Use Ideogram, GPT Image, or Flux 2.
Model Selection: Video
Decision Matrix
| Need | Best Choice | Why | Backup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest quality | Runway Gen-4.5 | Benchmark leader (1,247 ELO) | Veo 3.1 |
| With audio sync | Kling 2.6 | Only simultaneous audio-visual | — |
| Longest duration | Kling 2.6 | 3 minutes native | Runway |
| Character consistency | Kling O1 | Unified multimodal | Kling 2.6 |
| Professional color | Luma Ray3 | Only native HDR, 16-bit EXR | Runway |
| Budget | Hailuo 2.3 | Best cost-effectiveness | Kling 2.3 |
| Free/open source | HunyuanVideo | Beats Gen-3 quality | Stable Video |
Key Insight
Audio-visual sync is now a competitive differentiator. Only Kling 2.6 generates video + voiceover + sound effects + ambient audio in a single pass.
Troubleshooting Patterns
"It won't preserve the shape"
- Use Image Prompt with high --iw (2.0+)
- Match aspect ratio (input 1:1 → output --ar 1:1)
- Add
--style rawfor tighter adherence - Lower --stylize (30-50) for more literal interpretation
- If still failing: Try Imagen 4 or Flux 2 — they preserve shapes more literally than Midjourney
"It keeps making it symmetric"
Midjourney defaults to symmetry. Fight it:
- Add "asymmetrical" keyword explicitly
- Use
--no symmetric, mandala, radial, mirrored, balanced, centered - Add
--chaos 6-10 - Use directional language ("positioned to the left", "stepping diagonally")
- Material words help ("weathered metal", "carved stone" resist perfect symmetry)
"Style overwhelms subject"
Balance the competing forces:
- Lower --sw (style weight)
- Increase --iw (image weight) if using reference
- Use
--style raw - Simplify text prompt
"Character keeps changing"
V7 (recommended):
- Use
--orefwith Midjourney-generated source (2x GPU cost) - Start at
--ow 100, increase to 200-400 for facial accuracy - For many images: Leonardo.ai with custom LoRA
V6 (legacy):
- Use
--crefwith Midjourney-generated source (not real photos) --cw 0for face only,--cw 100for everything
References
| Need | Load |
|---|---|
| Midjourney reference types detail | midjourney/reference-types.md |
| Midjourney V7 full guide | midjourney/v7-guide.md |
| Midjourney parameters | midjourney/parameters.md |
| Midjourney animation/video | midjourney/animation.md |
| Image model comparison | image-models.md |
| Video model comparison | video-models.md |
Sources: All claims cite official documentation (docs.midjourney.com, vendor APIs) and benchmarks (Artificial Analysis, LM Arena). Full URLs in reference files.
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