With eyes slightly narrowed, team leader Setsuya Kataoka speaks nostalgically of the trials and tribulations the team faced when designing the body of the E-1’s successor.

“A robust body is a prerequisite for any camera if it is to be considered a tool for professionals. But we had to take this idea to a completely new level for the E-1's successor if we were to achieve performance befitting a new E-Series flagship model.
“This meant designing an extremely rugged professional camera that enables photographers to shoot under the harshest environmental conditions without any misgivings whatsoever. At the same time, we had to come up with a design that embodies the feeling of high quality one expects in an E-Series flagship model. In other words, a design evoking an impression of finesse enclosed in a tough, rugged body, coupled with the high-grade feel of a camera that has all the attributes of a finely honed tool. There lay the problem — how to integrate the seemingly conflicting aspects of delicate high quality and ruggedness.
“It's the body's job to enclose and protect the cutting-edge mechanisms and indeed the potential of the Olympus digital SLR flagship. After countless tests and lengthy deliberation we finally arrived at the consensus that, due to its unparalleled durability, magnesium was the best material to use. Offering a solid feel and enabling highly airtight design for outstanding dust and splash resistance under severe environmental conditions, it was the most suitable material for the task.”