Ever since Olympus introduced its first camera in 1936,
cameras bearing the Olympus name have been known and loved
by photographers and photo enthusiasts around the world. During that time, photography has changed dramatically, moving from the film age into the digital age.
In 1996, on the 60th anniversary of the launch of its first camera,
Olympus introduced the CAMEDIA C-800L, and in 2000, it introduced the E-10 fixed-lens single-reflex camera.
Although the E-10’s fixed lens kept the image sensor safe from
dust contamination, its inability to accept interchangeable lenses was tradeoff that was lamented by many. Behind the scenes, however, work quietly began on a camera built on an entirely new concept.
It was to become Olympus’s first interchangeable lens digital SLR,
the remarkable E-1 that raised the curtain on a new photographic era when it debuted in June 2003.

E-1 development team leader Yasuo Asakura closed his eyes
as he recalled his feelings at the time.

“The first and most fundamental goal we set was
the achievement of the highest possible image quality.
And it was the evolution of digital technology that made that
possible. To a camera manufacturer, one of its most basic assets
is its interchangeable lens lineup. So for us to select
an image sensor that would not allow us to use that asset was
a very bold move.
But it was a move that was spurred by the question,
‘What level of image quality do we want to be able to offer
5, 10, or even 20 years from now?’
“The challenge we faced was to develop a system ideally suited
to digital imaging. And after much deliberation,
the conclusion we reached was that a digital system built
around a 4/3-type sensor offered the best possible solution.
“At a minimum, image quality had to exceed that of 35mm film,
and in the near future it had to equal that of
medium-format film.
Considering the maximum megapixel count available
at the time was just 3 to 4 megapixels, this was
a truly extraordinary feat to attempt.
“The use of a 4/3-type sensor was also revolutionary in that it
enabled the creation of an extremely compact all-digital system.
In fact, the remarkable image quality offered by
the E-series was only possible because the Olympus E-System was based from the ground up on dedicated, all-digital technology.
“It is something that never could have been achieved if we had
let ourselves be bound by the conventions of
35mm interchangeable lens and film camera design.”