We ran four image to video models against each other on the same five scenes, and to keep it fair we made it harder than a normal test: every model animated the exact same starting image. Seedance 2.0 Pro, Kling 3.0 Turbo, HappyHorse 1.0, and Grok Imagine Video 1.5 all start from an identical frame, so any difference you see is the model, not a different starting picture. All four run on EmpirioLabs through one API.
Watch the four way comparison
How we ran it
For each scene we first generated one starting image with Seedream 5.0 Lite at 2848 by 1600, a 16:9 frame. Then every model animated that same image, one generation each, at 720p, 5 seconds per clip, with default settings. The five scenes were a corgi riding a skateboard down a boardwalk, a dragon soaring over a castle, a cheetah sprinting across the savanna, an orca breaching out of the ocean, and a wolf bounding through deep snow. Each model got the same motion prompt per scene, asking for a single continuous shot with no cuts.
What to look for
Because every model starts from the same frame, this comparison is really about motion. Watch how natural the movement looks, how closely each clip follows the motion prompt, how stable the subject stays from frame to frame, and how each model handles fast action like the cheetah sprint or the orca breach. Some models lean smooth and cinematic, others lean punchy and dynamic. We are not declaring a winner. Run the clip, see which look fits the kind of video you want to make, and pick from there.
Generate any of these on EmpirioLabs
All four models serve the same image to video endpoint, so you send a starting image plus a motion prompt and swap the model id to compare. Point at https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1 and post to the videos endpoint.
curl https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1/videos/generations \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $EMPIRIOLABS_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "seedance-2-0-pro",
"image_url": "https://example.com/your-starting-frame.png",
"prompt": "The cheetah sprints forward at full speed, dust trailing behind, single continuous shot, no cuts."
}'Change "model" to kling-3-0-turbo, happyhorse-1-0, or grok-imagine-video-1-5 and send the same image and prompt again. That one line swap is how you compare every video model on your own footage. You can also try them in the playground.
Frequently asked questions
Which video models were tested?
Seedance 2.0 Pro from BytePlus, Kling 3.0 Turbo, HappyHorse 1.0, and Grok Imagine Video 1.5 from xAI. All four run on EmpirioLabs through one API.
Did every model animate the same image?
Yes. We generated one starting frame per scene with Seedream 5.0 Lite, then fed that same frame to all four models. This isolates the motion model from the image, so the comparison is fair.
What settings were used?
720p, 5 seconds per clip, default settings, one generation each, no retries. Each model got the same motion prompt per scene.
Can I use my own starting image?
Yes. The image to video endpoint takes any starting image plus a motion prompt. Swap the model id to compare the same input across models.
How do I switch between video models?
Change one string. All four share the same videos endpoint at https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1, so you set the model id and keep the rest of the request the same.
