Everything Can Be Consistent! Midjourney V7 –oref Full-Parameter Reference Testing (With Hands-On Experience Sharing)
While most were enjoying Labor Day, AI tools kept evolving. Midjourney rolled out updates on consecutive days, reintroducing suffix parameter innovations after months of silence. This release also includes the upgraded V7 model and enhanced editor capabilities.
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Two new suffixes emerged: –exp (Experimental Aesthetics) and –oref (Object Reference). Let’s dissect their official claims through rigorous testing—hold on tight!
–exp: Experimental Aesthetic Value
Official Translation of –exp
Real-World Applications
Portraits with –exp
Animal Renderings
Scene Enhancements
Overall, –exp refines details like material textures and applies cinematic-grade filters. While impactful, its necessity depends on your project’s demands—ideal for high-stakes visuals but optional for casual use.
Hands-On Insights
After extensive testing, we uncovered critical nuances:
- Reference Placement Matters: The positioning of reference images (upper/middle/lower zones) drastically alters outputs.
- Prompt Precision is Key: Aligning prompts with reference content ensures higher fidelity.
Three reference zones illustrated
Case in Point:
• Generic Prompt ➔ 
• Tailored Prompt ➔ 
Unexpected Discovery:
• --stylize 100 + --exp 100 delivers tighter alignment with references.
• --stylize 0 + --exp 100 struggles despite identical references.
Pro Tip:
While Midjourney claims --exp >25 overrides stylization, our tests show near-total dominance. Use it selectively—if results align with your vision, keep it; if not, discard.
Top: –exp 50 | Bottom: Baseline
The Elephant in the Room
Midjourney’s persistent flaws—multi-fingered horrors, inconsistent facial expressions, and lack of micro-detail control—remain unaddressed. Processing delays have spiked (5x slower!), raising concerns about scalability against rivals like Doubao. The platform increasingly mirrors Photoshop’s complexity, gatekeeping casual users.
–oref: Elemental Reference System
Official Breakdown:
Combines --ow (object weighting) and --oref (reference anchoring). Mastery requires careful study.
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E-Commerce Case Study
Design Consistency for Luxury Bags
Midjourney dominates here. For high-volume brands, its subscription model offers cost efficiency and premium outputs—perfect for scaling luxury lines.
The Emoji Pack Dilemma
Despite V4’s initial success, expanding emoji sets became a nightmare. V7’s “–oref” tests revealed alarming inconsistency:
• 40% generated faces descended into eldritch abominations.
• Reverting to Niji mode sacrificed coherence entirely.
Chaotic expressions and poses
Model Face-Swapping Test
Facial consistency hit ~60% accuracy—a leap for Midjourney, but still a gacha game.
Pro Advice:
• Always pair with --exp for elevated visual polish and pose control.
• Audit prompts immediately if outputs misfire.
Top: –exp enabled | Bottom: Baseline
Final Thoughts
Midjourney’s latest update doubles down on technical prowess, alienating newcomers while empowering pros. As competitors prioritize accessibility, Midjourney charts the opposite course—embracing hyper-parameterization.
Key Takeaway:
Reviews guide, but mastery demands relentless experimentation. The platform’s future likely hinges on catering to specialists, not simplifying for masses.
Want to harness Midjourney’s full power? Start testing—today.