Omni Flash 1.1: a 3-second probe before the $3.75 4K clip

A 3-second Gemini Omni Flash 1.1 clip at 360p costs $0.1125 on Sume, against $3.75 for a 10-second clip at 4K, so a cheap probe is about 33 times smaller than the final render. Google lists Omni Flash as generally available since Aug 27 2026 (Gemini API changelog, read 2026-10-09).

Probe and final prices

Omni Flash 1.1 accepts 3 to 10 seconds at 360p, 720p, 1080p and 4K, in 16:9 or 9:16. The rate is per second of output.

Cap each step on MCP

Over hosted MCP, set max_spend_usd to the row's total so the call fails closed if the estimate is higher. Keep the same prompt and change only resolution and seconds in payload; read the live field names with tools_schema for generate_video.

{
  "idempotency_key": "omni-probe-001",
  "max_spend_usd": 0.12,
  "payload": { "model": "gemini-omni-flash-1.1" }
}

Limits and gotchas

A cheap probe tells you about the prompt, not about 4K detail, so judge composition and motion, not sharpness.

• Each probe and final needs its own idempotency_key.
• Omni Flash 1.1 takes image and video input references but not audio.
• The 3 second floor is the shortest clip the model accepts.