Can Claude generate high resolution images? 4K via a tool

Not by itself: Claude can't generate images at any resolution. Through an image tool it can. With Sume's tools, Claude can ask for a larger resolution tier, up to 4K on the models that list one, and then enlarge a finished still 1–4× with an upscale tool.

Claude's side comes from Anthropic's vision docs. The tool side comes from Sume's Image API and MCP tools and gates docs, the API reference, and the current MCP tool descriptions, all read on 2026-09-29. Can Claude generate images? covers connecting a tool; Sume has no official Claude connector, and its basics page says hosted MCP still works but is not the primary path today.

How high can the resolution go?

It depends on the model. Sume's generate_image tool takes a resolution tier of 512, 1K, 2K, or 4K, but a model only accepts the values its catalog lists. Today the models that list a 4K tier are google/nano-banana-2, google/nano-banana-pro. Ask Claude to call image-models_list and read supported_parameters before it pins a tier; an unadvertised parameter is a 400. 4K AI image generation API lists every model's tiers.

Can Claude generate high quality images, not just big ones?

Resolution and quality are separate fields. quality takes auto, low, medium, high, xhigh, or max, but only on models whose catalog lists it. ChatGPT Image 2.5 lists all six and runs at high when you omit the field. ChatGPT Image 2.5 is priced by image tokens, so its size and quality change the price. Ask Claude to run dry_run=true first: it previews the cost without submitting a job.

Can Claude make an image at an exact pixel size?

Not as Sume's MCP tool describes itself. In current code, the generate_image description tells Claude that explicit pixel sizes are not served there, and to pick the nearest aspect ratio, then upscale with image_upscale_create. The REST Image API does take custom pixels on ChatGPT Image 2.5 through image_size: both edges multiples of 16, a maximum edge of 3840, an aspect ratio of at most 3:1, and 655,360–8,294,400 pixels. For the upscale math from a generated size to a print size, see How to upscale an image to an exact pixel size.

How does the upscale step work, and what does it cost?

Claude passes the still's URL to image_upscale_create with an upscale_factor from 1 to 4, then waits on the job and reads the result. A 2× upscale doubles both edges. The upscale is $0.20 per image on API pricing, plus a 5.5% agent fee by default, billed to your Sume wallet rather than your Claude plan.

• The input must be a public HTTPS image URL. Hosted MCP cannot read files from your laptop, so a still generated earlier in the session is the easy input.
• Result URLs from generate_image are signed; keep copies of the files you want.
• Check the upscaled result at its final size before you print it.