Midjourney v5 Creates Photorealistic Images and Even Does Hands Correctly
Midjurney v5 has arrived this week with the latest model of the acclaimed AI image generator boasting stunning photorealistic images and humans that have five fingers per hand.
Enthusiasts have already been showing off the text-to-image generators’ prowess. However, it is currently only available to paying customers.
Graphic designer Julie Wieland has shared with PetaPixel some of her jaw-dropping photography-esque creations generated from Midjourney v5.
“The latest Midjourney v5 model is both extremely overwhelming/scary and beyond fascinating,” says Wieland. “Its ability to recreate intricate details and textures, such as realistic skin texture/facial features and lighting, is unparalleled.”
“This rise of post-photography (and its level of detail), or as I prefer to call it: “synthography,” does not signal the end of traditional photography, but rather an extension and new tool in the toolbox for artists and photographers,” adds Wieland.
“It can spark new ideas and expand the imagination beyond what was previously possible. Ultimately, the end result and emotional impact are what matter most in both mediums.”
AI image creator Nick St. Pierre has posted a series of extraordinary images from v5 that are getting ever closer to passing as real photographs.
Midjourney v5 is here! (for real this time, lol)
Here are some side-by-sides of my prompts, v4 vs v5, as well as some new prompts and crowd shots. I'll add more to this as I experiment.
đŸ§µ pic.twitter.com/qSEZWQBXou
— Nick St. Pierre (@nickfloats) March 15, 2023
An image of a group of women at first glance looks like it was taken at the hands of a photographer. However, there are still strange AI artifacts such as floating hands and out-of-proportion faces.
St. Pierre went on to compare Midjourney v4 and v5. Using the same prompts for each model, the incremental gains of the latest model are clear to see.
Editorial Style Photo, Eye Level, Modern, Living Room, Fireplace, Leather and Wood, Built-in Shelves, Neutral with pops of blue, West Elm, Natural Light, New York City, Afternoon, Cozy, Art Deco –ar 16:9
v4 (left) v5 (right) pic.twitter.com/yPHdsNnBsw
— Nick St. Pierre (@nickfloats) March 15, 2023
“This is unreal and my gosh, photographers are really really screwed,” writes artist and photographer Jeremy Corward about St. Pierre’s creations. “I know that’s a hot take and I have a gazillion other thoughts but dang, this is no bueno. V5 is unreal.”
‘Wider Range’
Taking to the Midjourney discord, the company’s founder David Holz says that the latest version has a “much wider stylistic range” and is “more responsive to prompting.” He also says that users will get a higher image quality and improved dynamic range.
“It’s much more ‘unopinionated’ than v3 and v4,” Holz writes. “And is tuned to provide a wide diversity of outputs and to be very responsive to your inputs.”
Apparently, the tradeoff for this new version is that “short prompts may not work as well” and “you should try to write longer, more explicit text about what you want.”
Holz warns that the new Midjourney “can generate much more realistic imagery than anything we’ve released before.” Therefore the company has increased the number of moderators and “will be enforcing our community standards with increased strictness and rigor.”
Yesterday, PetaPixel reported on Midjourney releasing a montly print magazine.
To see more of Wieland’s AI work, go to her Twitter, Instagram, and website.
Image credits: Courtesy of Julie Wieland.
