Nano Banana vs. Photoshop: A Fair Comparison for 2025

In the world of digital image editing, Google’s Nano Banana (accessible via Gemini 2.5 Flash Image) has generated significant buzz as an AI-powered alternative to traditional tools like Adobe Photoshop. But how does it stack up against the industry standard for professional photo editing? After putting Nano Banana through its paces, I’ve compared its capabilities with Photoshop across several key tasks: retouching, compositing, mockups, color grading, and photo restoration. Here’s a detailed breakdown to help you decide which tool suits your needs.

Accessing Nano Banana

Nano Banana can be used through Google’s Gemini platform or Adobe Firefly (if you have an Adobe subscription). For this comparison, I primarily used Gemini, ensuring the model was set to 2.5 Flash Image. Adobe Firefly offers similar access: create a new board, drag and drop your image, and select Gemini 2.5 Flash Image from the model dropdown.

Task 1: Skin Retouching

Retouching skin is a common task for photographers and designers. Let’s see how Nano Banana compares to Photoshop.

Nano Banana: I uploaded a portrait and used the prompt “remove all tattoos from the skin.” The results were inconsistent—sometimes tattoos were partially removed, other times the AI altered them or overly smoothed the skin, making it look unnatural, almost “baby-like.” Multiple attempts felt like playing a slot machine, with no guarantee of a perfect outcome.
Photoshop: In Photoshop, removing tattoos is straightforward. Circle the tattooed area using the Spot Healing Brush or Clone Stamp, and it’s gone in seconds. For skin tone correction, I used a Curves Adjustment Layer, selected the middle eyedropper, and clicked a neutral area (e.g., the eye). This produced a natural, precise result in under a minute, preserving the original skin texture.
Verdict: Photoshop wins for precision and reliability. Nano Banana’s results are too unpredictable for professional retouching.

Task 2: Object Removal

Removing objects, like a fence from a background, is another common editing task.

Nano Banana: Using the prompt “remove the fence,” I tested Gemini on a simple image. Initial attempts failed entirely, and even after multiple tries, the results softened the image due to resolution limitations. However, on a more complex image with a dense fence and shadows, Nano Banana delivered an impressive result, though it slightly altered the subject’s face.
Photoshop: Photoshop’s Content-Aware Fill removed the fence cleanly without altering the subject or background. Even when zoomed in, the image remained sharp and unchanged.
Verdict: Nano Banana can handle complex object removal in some cases, but Photoshop is more consistent and preserves image quality.

Task 3: Compositing

Compositing involves combining elements from multiple images, such as changing backgrounds or adding objects.

Nano Banana: I uploaded a portrait and prompted Gemini to “make her sit inside a palace.” The result was visually appealing, and further prompts like “change the chair to a luxury queen’s chair” or “replace the table with gold” worked well for creative, social media-friendly edits. However, each change slightly altered the subject, and resolution degradation was noticeable upon zooming in. For a studio portrait, I tried “change the background to the textured backdrop attached.” The result was decent but lacked the sharpness of Photoshop.
Photoshop: For the same studio portrait, I dragged and dropped a textured backdrop, used Photoshop’s Select Subject feature, and applied a mask to place the backdrop behind the subject. I adjusted the blend mode to Overlay and added a Gaussian Blur (108 pixels) for a realistic, blurry background. The result was sharp, professional, and fully customizable.
Verdict: Photoshop offers superior control and quality for professional compositing. Nano Banana is fun for quick, creative edits but struggles with precision and resolution.

Task 4: Mockups

Mockups are essential for showcasing designs, such as placing a graphic on a t-shirt.

Nano Banana: I uploaded a t-shirt image and a monkey warrior graphic, prompting Gemini to “place the monkey warrior graphic realistically on the t-shirt as if it was printed.” The results were disappointing, with the graphic appearing distorted or poorly integrated. Multiple attempts didn’t improve the outcome.
Photoshop: In Photoshop, I double-clicked a Smart Object layer, placed the graphic, and saved it. The result was seamless, with the graphic conforming to the t-shirt’s folds and maintaining high resolution, even when zoomed in.
Verdict: Photoshop is the clear winner for mockups, delivering realistic and precise results.

Task 5: Color Grading

Color grading enhances the mood and tone of an image.

Nano Banana: I prompted Gemini with “apply a Renaissance painting style with a greenish tint in the background and warm skin tones.” The result was decent but random, with noticeable resolution loss when zoomed in.
Photoshop: Using a Curves Adjustment Layer, I clicked a neutral area to balance the skin tones, achieving a precise and natural result in seconds. A 90-second tutorial I created demonstrates how simple this is.
Verdict: Photoshop provides precise control over color grading, while Nano Banana’s results are less predictable.

Task 6: Photo Restoration

Photo restoration is where Nano Banana truly shines.

Nano Banana: For a damaged photo, I used a restoration prompt (not specified in the transcript but implied as effective). The results were incredible, producing multiple usable variations in seconds. Adjusting lighting with prompts like “change the lighting to harsh sunlight” further enhanced the restored image.
Photoshop: Restoring a heavily damaged photo in Photoshop is labor-intensive and time-consuming, often requiring advanced techniques.
Verdict: Nano Banana excels in photo restoration, making it a valuable tool for this specific use case.

Final Thoughts

Nano Banana is a powerful AI tool with exciting potential, particularly for photo restoration and quick, creative edits for social media. However, for professional tasks like retouching, compositing, mockups, and color grading, Photoshop remains unmatched in precision, control, and image quality. AI tools like Nano Banana can be unpredictable, often requiring multiple attempts to achieve acceptable results, and they struggle with resolution limitations.

Learning traditional techniques in Photoshop, Affinity Photo, or similar software keeps you ahead of the curve. These tools offer the flexibility and reliability that AI can’t yet match. However, Nano Banana can be a great starting point for certain tasks, especially when time is limited or for non-professional use.

What’s your take? Would you choose Photoshop’s precision or Nano Banana’s speed for your projects? Share your thoughts in the comments! If you found this comparison helpful, consider liking and subscribing for more tips, tricks, and tutorials.