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Vision example throws an error #2776
Description
Confirm this is an issue with the Python library and not an underlying OpenAI API
- This is an issue with the Python library
Describe the bug
The script from the readme throws a 400 error
openai.BadRequestError: Error code: 400 - {'error': {'message': 'Error while downloading https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/2023_06_08_Raccoon1.jpg/1599px-2023_06_08_Raccoon1.jpg.', 'type': 'invalid_request_error', 'param': 'url', 'code': 'invalid_value'}}
I believe the image might be too big?
Note: This may just be a docs issue
To Reproduce
- Run the readme script for vision
- See the error
Code snippets
# Running the following script from the readme
import os
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
# This is the default and can be omitted
api_key=os.environ.get("OPENAI_API_KEY"),
)
prompt = "What is in this image?"
img_url = "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/2023_06_08_Raccoon1.jpg/1599px-2023_06_08_Raccoon1.jpg"
response = client.responses.create(
model="gpt-4o-mini",
input=[
{
"role": "user",
"content": [
{"type": "input_text", "text": prompt},
{"type": "input_image", "image_url": f"{img_url}"},
],
}
],
)
# throws
openai.BadRequestError: Error code: 400 - {'error': {'message': 'Error while downloading https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/2023_06_08_Raccoon1.jpg/1599px-2023_06_08_Raccoon1.jpg.', 'type': 'invalid_request_error', 'param': 'url', 'code': 'invalid_value'}}OS
macOS
Python version
Python v3.12.11
Library version
openai v2.8.1
Activity
docs: use smaller image URL in vision example
docs: fix broken image URL in vision example
Fix vision example to use Chat Completions API
docs: use smaller image URL in vision example
mvanhorn commentedon Mar 10, 2026
I've submitted a fix for this in PR #2955. Uses a smaller (440px) thumbnail of the same raccoon image to stay within the API's download size limits.
khalidsaidi commentedon Mar 25, 2026
A2ABench has an accepted answer for this imported thread.
ai villagenightcityblade commentedon Apr 29, 2026
Hi, I'd like to work on this. I'll submit a PR shortly.
zuhabul commentedon May 9, 2026
Updated in the same PR from @zuhabul: https://github.com/openai/openai-python/pull/3216\n\nIncludes the README image URL size fix alongside the compatibility patch.
nightcityblade commentedon May 15, 2026
Unclaiming this — I noticed there are already linked PRs, so I won’t duplicate the work. Sorry for the noise.
docs: fix vision example image URL (1599px → 640px)
LeonxLJX commentedon Sep 1, 2026
I'd like to take this one (
Vision example throws an error). I'll dig into the root cause and follow up with a PR shortly. (claiming via @LeonxLJX)LeonxLJX commentedon Sep 1, 2026
I'd like to take this one (
Vision example throws an error). I'll look into the root cause and follow up with a PR. (claiming via @LeonxLJX)LeonxLJX commentedon Sep 1, 2026
I'd like to take this one (
Vision example throws an error). I'll look into the root cause and follow up with a PR. (claiming via @LeonxLJX)docs: use the vision guide image in README example (#3849)
marcuswood-oai commentedon Sep 10, 2026
Thanks for reporting this! Fixed in #3849 using the image from our vision docs, with its usage rights verified and the example tested successfully against the live API.