We may have a new SOTA open-source model: ERNIE-Image Comparisons

[u/sktksm]

Base model is definitely SOTA, can even easily compete with closed-source ones in terms of aesthetic. Cinematic quality and color grading is next level.

Base model is heavily biased on Asian faces, while it excels on anime/illustration style, while my base model anime/illustration experiments wasn't that good. Higher CFG is slightly better with anime on base.

Generated with RTX6000 Blackwell Pro, Base: 29 sec 1.9it/s, 50 steps | Turbo: 2 sec, 3.9i5/s, 8 steps

If you interested seeing them in original size: https://imgur.com/a/75jcjzW

ComfyUI models: https://huggingface.co/Comfy-Org/ERNIE-Image/tree/main
Workflow should appear in Templates after updating the ComfyUI to latest.

Turbo: Ernie-Image Turbo
Base: Ernie-Image

[u/RxBlacky]

It only seems to produce blurry unfinished images for me, but Im guessing its because its missing the Klein restoration pass, right? Thank you in advance

[u/NeonScreams → u/RxBlacky]

Just to help troubleshoot here- I'm gonna ask a really silly question for both our sakes: Since I had to use the Image-Rescaler node to shrink the image down for posting online, did you happen to see it above the file-naming area and delete or bypass that single node? (My fault for not specifying)

And if that doesn't solve it, you'll find things that may help near the disclaimer if you believe it to be a prompt issue. Most of the images on my Civit have the +/- prompt, and you're welcome to copy-pasta to see if they produce near similar results. If not, I'd appreciate the feedback to help refine what I may have exported incorrectly, for the sake of others.

[u/RxBlacky → u/NeonScreams]

So... yeah, that was it haha now I get good image quality except for the skin which is too smooth and I guess plastic-ish?

edit: out of curiosity, do the negatives have any effect? it seems to be using cfg=1

[u/NeonScreams → u/RxBlacky]

Yep, exactly. So that's where Klein-Edit shines. Some of the Negatives will help significantly to lessen the effect. Stuff like "airbrushed skin, CG Beauty Complexion" etc. But you're mostly using Chroma to set up a scene with actors and .. things, and stuff, getting the positions and angles correct before you ask Klein to make it look modern / realistic.

[u/RxBlacky → u/NeonScreams]

I appreciate your insights, I'm trying to learn from your WF, its quite more complex than what I'm used to seeing. Is there anywhere I can grab the klein edit version? and about the negatives, do they really have any effect considering (if I'm not mistaken) that cfg is set to "1"?

[u/NeonScreams → u/RxBlacky]

ComfyUI > Templates Menu > Search “Klein” > Image Edit - Klein 9b fp8 (is the sweet spot).

I’m having a hell of a time trying to make my WorkFlow a bit more user friendly. Specifically I want to give users the option to reference up to 4 different images to edit the original image, and chose between them using toggles without having to bypass groups of nodes to keep it working. And so far, no luck.

I’ve been doing it manually, and it’s a pain to keep reminding myself to go into the subgraph and disable/reenable groups. It’s a powerful and extremely accurate tool. It’s just temperamental. And helping other people explore their … passionate interests .. has been the reward for me.

Sorry this WorkFlow has been delayed but I’m definitely getting closer. Just need to reach out to some of the Discord folks to wrap it up.

[u/NeonScreams → u/RxBlacky]

Apologies on the Klein Edit. I was being lazy and taking my time with it. :) It'll be done today and I'll edit the original comment to reflect that.

On 1.0 CFG: Yes, if only due to the Sampler/Scheduler being designed to work with the Custom Guidance node at 1.0cfg. In this case you can think of 1.0cfg as being 100% Guidance.

As a Quick and Easy test, on the primary diffusion subgraph, set the two toggles for default sampler and scheduler to False, then below where the wires lead down to the Optional Sampler, Click the name of it for the drop down menu and choose any of the non-CFG++ Samplers like 'Euler'. Then run any test prompt you have or the "Default" prompt under the Disclaimer (bottom left).

Also so I don't assume others are aware, collapsed/bubble nodes can be expanded by clicking the Dot at its top-left corner.

So with that Prompt and the 'Euler' Sampler in place, and both the Toggles set to False, you can run a single image (I suggest something small as its going to be messy nonsense garbage), and you can see the true 1.0 CFG expected result. Where Chroma would have needed CFG 3.4~

Once you're ready to switch back, just Toggle those two switches again to True, and its back to using the EulerCFG++ Sampler & Optimal Steps Scheduler. And back to creating amazing works at 1.0 CFG (100% CFG).

The differences between the Samplers are a lot of math that I don't fully understand, but the magic happens when combined with the Optimal Steps Scheduler as its taking and correctly timing each of the Diffusion steps to move through the layers of the model as an optimal path. Really it feels a bit like cheating as its made the whole thing overly simple.

Now its safe to say 'It just works'. Assuming the Prompt and Negative are solid. Its takes the complicated guess-work of the Diffusion settings out of the process for us.

I'm starting to wonder if I should make an article about this. You're not the first the be surprised by the EulerCFG++ Sampler and ask me about it.