Seedream 5 Lite from a reference photo: 4.4 cents per product image

seedream-5-lite costs $0.04375 per image on Sume, takes up to 10 reference images and returns up to 4 images per call. Four variants of one product therefore cost $0.175 in a single request, and 100 products at four angles are $17.50.

Hero to four variants

Attach the hero shot and ask for the same product in a new setting. Handle the 202 job envelope if the call outlasts 30 seconds.

import os, requests

r = requests.post(
    "https://api.sume.com/v1/images",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['SUME_API_KEY']}"},
    json={
        "model": "bytedance-seed/seedream-5-lite",
        "prompt": "Same speaker, on a bookshelf, then on a desk, then on a windowsill, then outdoors on a table",
        "n": 4,
        "aspect_ratio": "4:5",
        "input_references": [
            {"type": "image_url", "image_url": {"url": "https://example.com/speaker-hero.png"}}
        ],
    },
    timeout=60,
)
print(r.status_code)
body = r.json()
if r.status_code == 200:
    for item in body["data"]:
        print(item["url"])
else:
    print(body)

Seedream rows side by side

Note that Seedream 4.5 (bytedance-seed/seedream-4.5) returns one image per call when you send references, which changes batching.

Checking the set

Product variants drift. Compare each output to the hero in your own pipeline for color and shape before publishing, and re-roll the rejects; at this price a re-roll is cheap.

Ratios and formats

Seedream 5 Lite lists nine aspect ratios including 4:5 and 5:4, and png, jpeg or webp output.

• Use 4:5 for portrait listing tiles and 1:1 for thumbnails.
• Send the hero as the first reference and name what must not change.
• Read GET /v1/images/models/{model_id}/endpoints for the live pricing line before a large run: prices are catalog data and can change.