Whimsical Photo
16:9Realistic DSLR photograph of an anthropomorphic Pekingese dog enjoying a bowl of ramen on the Great Wall of China, with the words "Seedream 5.0 Lite available on fal" at the top
Seedream 5.0 Lite
ID:
bytedance/seedream-5-liteSeedream 5.0 Lite image generation API by ByteDance — latest-gen speed and visual coherence with 2K/3K output and 14 reference images.
Text to imageImage editingReference images3K
Input
OutputView all
Output will appear here
basic
$0.04
high
$0.04
cURL
curl https://api.runbase.net/v1/runs \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $RUNBASE_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "bytedance/seedream-5-lite",
"input": {
"prompt": "A cinematic product photo of a ceramic lamp",
"aspect_ratio": "1:1",
"resolution": "1K"
}
}'Examples
Weather Panorama
21:9High-concept composite photography with five vertical panoramic strips showing Beijing Bird's Nest, Manhattan skyscrapers, Tokyo Tower, Sydney Opera House, and Madrid cathedral with real-time weather, cinematic color grading
Sticker Sheet
4:3Cartoon pink bunny sticker with starry eyes on a green rectangle, pink heart stickers in red circles, white curves, and yellow star stickers, all with white outlines
Overview
Seedream 5.0 Lite is the latest generation of ByteDance's Seedream image models, released in 2026. It builds on the Seedream 4.5 architecture with improved visual coherence — elements within a scene relate more naturally, and fine details like hands, reflections, and material textures are rendered more consistently. It keeps two quality tiers (2K and 3K) and the same 14-image reference support while delivering faster generation.
Use cases
Fast iteration on creative concepts and moodboards. Social media content where quick turnaround and visual polish both matter. Product and lifestyle photography. Image-to-image editing with up to 14 reference images — useful for maintaining brand consistency across a batch of assets.
Inputs
All parameters are passed in the input object of the run request.
| Parameter | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| prompt | Yes | Text description (3–3000 chars) |
| aspect_ratio | No | Default 1:1. Options: 1:1, 2:3, 3:2, 3:4, 4:3, 9:16, 16:9, 21:9 |
| quality | No | Default basic (2K). Options: basic, high (3K) |
| image_urls | No | Up to 14 reference images (max 10 MB each) for image-to-image |
Prompt tips
Describe spatial relationships clearly
Seedream 5.0 Lite's improved coherence means spatial descriptions ("foreground," "behind," "reflected in") are followed more reliably than in 4.5. Take advantage of this for multi-element compositions.
Use ultra-wide for panoramic scenes
The 21:9 ratio works well for cinematic landscapes and panoramic compositions. Pair it with high quality for 3K ultra-wide output.
Limitations
- Prompt must be at least 3 characters and at most 3000 characters
- 8 aspect ratios available (same set as Seedream 4.5)
- 3K output only available at
highquality setting - Maximum 14 reference images per request, 10 MB each
- No explicit resolution parameter — quality mode controls output dimensions
FAQ
How does Seedream 5.0 Lite differ from Seedream 4.5?
Improved visual coherence and detail rendering, especially for complex scenes with multiple elements. Same aspect ratios, quality modes, and reference image limits — but faster generation.
What quality modes are available?
basic (default) outputs at 2K resolution. high outputs at 3K. Both are the same price.
Can I edit existing images?
Yes. Upload up to 14 reference images via image_urls and describe the desired result in the prompt.