GPT Image 2.6 Flare vs Sunburst

Start with Flare for exploring compositions and iterating on ideas. Consider Sunburst when fine detail and consistency across edits are central to the brief. That choice follows OpenAI's stated positioning for the two GPT Image 2.6 variants. On ReelBoop, both currently produce one Medium-quality PNG for 5 credits, with the same aspect-ratio choices and optional single reference image.

ReelBoop offers both models; this guide compares OpenAI's documented positioning with the settings currently available here. OpenAI's Images 2.6 announcement

The useful differences at a glance

Decision	Flare	Sunburst
OpenAI's emphasis	Image generation and editing for fast iteration	Image generation and editing for detailed visual work
A useful starting task	Explore a layout, color direction or campaign concept	Work on a detailed composition or a focused edit with important retained details
Text-to-image on ReelBoop	Yes	Yes
Reference input on ReelBoop	One optional image	One optional image
ReelBoop output	One Medium-quality PNG	One Medium-quality PNG
ReelBoop credit cost	5 credits per generation	5 credits per generation
ReelBoop ratios	1:1, 16:9, 9:16	1:1, 16:9, 9:16

The model descriptions come from the Flare documentation and Sunburst documentation. The shared settings are shown in the ReelBoop creator.

Choose Flare when you are still deciding the picture

A draft is valuable when it helps you choose something concrete: a bright or dark background, a centered or side-weighted composition, a close view or a wider scene. Flare is the natural first option for that stage because OpenAI positions it around fast iteration.

Give each version one clear question. For a poster, first decide where the large visual should sit relative to a headline. For a product concept, choose the light direction and surface. Keep the subject description stable while changing those decisions.

Look for a usable arrangement before adding more constraints. If the product needs open space above it, check that space with your actual headline. If the scene has three objects, count them before choosing the color palette you prefer.

OpenAI positions Flare for fast iteration. Follow your task’s progress in My creations.

Choose Sunburst when the important detail is already defined

Sunburst is worth considering when you already know the composition and the task depends on finer visual decisions. Examples include a textured fabric, a product with several visible components, or a reference edit where the subject's identifying features need close inspection.

OpenAI describes Sunburst as providing stronger detail and consistency across edits at Medium or High quality. ReelBoop uses Medium for both variants. OpenAI's comparison

Make the brief inspectable. “Keep the blue casing, round lens and visible buttons” is easier to judge than “keep it perfect.” After generating, compare the relevant regions with the original image rather than relying on the first full-image impression.

Match the model to the task

A campaign idea with several possible looks

Begin with Flare. Change one visual variable at a time, such as background color or subject placement. Choose the arrangement that serves the intended message, then refine its details. The GPT Image 2.6 prompt collection gives you compact briefs to adapt.

A product photo on a new background

Either variant can accept a reference image in ReelBoop. Choose Flare to explore the scene direction; consider Sunburst when your review centers on small components or successive edits. Use the same real product photograph as your comparison baseline.

Follow the reference-image editing tutorial for the upload and review process. For product listings, check the actual shape, color, label and included components in either model's output.

A poster or social image with exact copy

Start by deciding the hierarchy: the main image, headline space and smaller information. Flare is a reasonable first choice for exploring that arrangement. Inspect every generated word if you ask for text; use a design editor for final wording, typography and placement when those must be exact.

Both variants deliver a PNG. Add final typography in your design editor.

A character repeated in several images

Use a chosen reference and repeat a short identity description. Sunburst's documented emphasis on consistency makes it a relevant option to consider, but review the face, hair, clothing and proportions after each change.

On ReelBoop, a later edit starts by uploading your downloaded image as a new reference. Keep the original anchor too: it gives you a stable comparison if successive edits move the design away from your intended character.

Compare them fairly on your own brief

If the model choice matters enough to compare, hold the inputs steady. Use the same source file, exact prompt and selected ratio, then judge the same output criteria. Both models use Medium quality and cost 5 credits per generation in the current ReelBoop form.

For a product edit, a compact shared brief could be:

Use the reference product photo. Keep the product's visible shape, colors and components. Place it on a warm ivory studio surface with a soft blue background. Use broad light from the left, a gentle contact shadow and clear space above the complete product.

Before generating, choose what you will inspect: the overall arrangement, component accuracy, surface texture, lettering and shadow. Look at the whole image and the same close-up regions in each result. One pair gives you evidence for that brief; a broader model judgment would need more varied, repeated examples.

What the choice means on ReelBoop

You can use up to 600 prompt characters and add one JPG, PNG or WebP reference up to 5 MB. Choose Flare or Sunburst and a ratio, check the 5-credit quote, then generate. Completed PNGs are available in My creations.

For an early creative direction, start with Flare in the creator. For a brief centered on detailed composition or editing, select Sunburst in the same form and review the details that make that choice worthwhile.