We’ve been wanting to get our hands on him for almost a year and in recent weeks even more so than in the past. “He” is Simon Liu, the great image guru at Oppo. An “executive” engineer who stands out from the crowd: his cap is still pressed down on his head, the man is reserved at first glance, his eyes sparkle when his technical choices are questioned, his phrasing quickens when he is asked to comment on a choice… Until he stops and asks – a rarity in interviews – for time to think and construct his answer. Moments of silence that make his argument all the more substantiated.
Read also: Top 10 photo smartphones 2021
Taking advantage of his time at the MWC in Barcelona, this former HTC (ahhh, the optics of the One M8!) and OnePlus, gave us an interview to talk about his baby: the imaging division.
It must be said that in the field, the Chinese manufacturer has already carved out a solid reputation. Its recent news is important: sensors “ customs », developed with Sony, partnership with Hasselblad, etc. A rise in power which reached its climax three months ago with the announcement of the MariSilicon X, an AI chip 100% dedicated to image processing, a first since 2018 and Google’s Pixel Core. That is to say if we had any questions for Simon Liu…
Imaging, a “small” division of 600 people
Seemingly rather reserved, Simon Liu is nevertheless very direct and frank in his answers – in other words, he’s a UFO in the business. Asked about the dimensions of his team, he replies tit for tat: “ just on the photo that is to say without the teams of the processors (MariSilicon X, editor’s note)or those of the AI, we are about 600 “.
A figure that impresses at first glance, but which would nevertheless be quite modest.
” In fact, there are very few of us: the 600 people don’t work on a single device, but on all the smartphones we launch. The truth is that I ask for new engineers every day! “comments, amused, Simon Liu.
Read also: We met Changzhu Li, the man who made Huawei a photography champion
Because if this image spawn regularly highlights the innovations of its high-end terminals, as the 4th largest manufacturer in the world, Oppo produces entire ranges of smartphones. That you have to design well and that even the most entry-level models consume resources. For comparison, Apple had 800 engineers in its image division in… 2015.
Hasselblad: a compass for colors
If it was first the OnePlus terminals that featured the mention of the Swedish medium-format camera manufacturer Hasselblad, the flagship of the Find X5 Pro brand now also bears the name. Simple marketing bluff? Does the SME that is Hasselblad really have things to teach a huge group like Oppo?
“ We obviously know how to build smartphone camera modules and produce beautiful photos without the help of Hasselblad. What we are looking for with their teams is to improve our color science. And figuring out where we’re going and figuring out what the ”right” renders are for users “, he explains.
If there is no doubt also an underlying marketing deal – and perhaps agreements with the Chinese DJI, owner of Hasselblad – the answer remains the same.
If the Swedish manufacturer probably has nothing to teach Oppo in the design of miniature optical blocks or in “pure” signal processing, it is a fact that color rendering is a delicate balance between image science and the “culture” of tones.
Interpretation of colors is an art, in which photo players like Fujifilm do well – Fujifilm produces arguably the best out-of-box JPEG files (“interpreted” format) in the entire traditional photo industry. .
MariSilicon X: a chip to (re)take control
Directly attacking the interview on the hottest and craziest topic was out of the question. But we couldn’t stand it any longer, so we switched directly to the MariSilicon X chip, the only 100% custom remote image processor in the industry.
The first elements of the response scared us, Simon Liu explained to us that ” the reasons for its development are beyond me, and it was a dedicated team that oversaw its development “.
Did he have nothing to say about this jewel engraved in 6 nm?
Read also: Oppo unveils the MariSiliconX, its first AI-powered image processor to rule the photo
Yes, of course. Nothing less than the raison d’être of this unique chip.
” It’s quite simple. It’s about taking control of the imagery. Our partners, like Qualcomm, are doing a great job of serving the industry with a powerful ISP. But not only is it their chip and their choices, but we also don’t have the recipes and secrets of their software part, their APIs, etc. We will never be able to take advantage of 100% of the potential of the third-party ISP, because they must also protect their know-how explains the engineer very openly.
“ This control is what explains Apple’s success: they get 120% of their ISP because they fully control it. With the MariSilicon X we have the chip we wanted and we can implement our own algorithms. It is up to us to choose where, from the sensor, the ISP, the SoC or our chip, we place the different elements of processing”, continues Simon Liu.
Like GoPro, which took four generations to fully master its GP1, before moving on to GP2, Simon Liu plans to “ that it will take several generations to get the best out of our chip “. But at least it’s now their chip. Which also controls sensors, with elements developed by Oppo.
Read also: GoPro GP2, the new processor that increases its performance tenfold
Sensors with small onions
In this process of taking control of the elements, the sensor has a key place. But there is no question here of 100% in-house development.
“In this respect, of course, we are going to continue on the path of co-development, in particular with Sony. By determining with eu the place of processing, by adjusting certain elements very precisely and by adding our own software part in the chip »says Simon Liu.
In passing, he provides us with important details on these semi-custom :
“ If competing manufacturers can now buy the sensor custom that we developed with Sony, they don’t have access to its full potential. We have designed hardware and software with Sony that are not available to competitors “, he describes.
Depending on whether it is an “off-the-shelf” sensor or one co-developed with an upstream manufacturer, not all Sony IMXs are equal depending on who drives them.
Technological compromise, “the box always wins”
How does Oppo intend to go further and become the king of photography?
” First of all I want to say that we are far from being able to claim anything “replies the engineer humbly.
” I am very happy with the Find X5 Pro and we have done a very good job, but we still have a lot to learn, especially in mastering colors, and our chip “, he tempers.
While Oppo began to stand out with its powerful telephoto lenses (Find X2 Pro), then with “macro” optics (Find X3 Pro), we point out to it that it is difficult to pinpoint where Oppo wants to go.
” We are determining that too, both with Hasselblad and with our MariSilicon X, or even depending on market needs. “, he continues.
But then will Oppo increase the size of the sensors or, conversely, multiply the modules?
“ If it were up to me, I would obviously put the largest sensors possible! But with the little space we have and with the constraints of energy consumption and processing, it’s all about compromise. “, he specifies.
Before concluding that Obviously, I can’t tell you anything about our future plans. Except that even with all the best will in the world, we have to make choices. Because in the end, it’s always the phone case that wins “.