“Superb mobility under any conditions is a key requirement of professional cameras. Featuring a body made of light, robust magnesium, the E-1's successor offers the specifications professionals demand in a camera that is amazingly lightweight. I'm proud to say that its exquisite balance of low weight and operating ease is nothing short of phenomenal — even when compared to the flagship models of rival companies. One could say that the true value of the E-1's successor can be found in its combination of Four Thirds System characteristics and unrivalled mobility.
“Elsewhere, by improving machining accuracy on various parts and raising assembly and processing precision, we have achieved a finish that at once conveys an impression of elegance and ruggedness. The lens mount and other parts are also sealed to assure the dust and splash resistance that professionals need when working in harsh environmental conditions. In fact, the camera is resistant to water splashes from any direction at all.
“Since the E-1's successor is positioned as the E-Series flagship model, the finish calls for extreme precision. For this reason we focused on minimizing the number of joins and other measures to ensure a beautiful yet rugged appearance.”

His eyes bright with enthusiasm, Kataoka continued to describe the challenges his team faced.

“Actually, the toughest challenge we faced was improving precision in areas that don't show up in the specifications. But we were determined to satisfy the requirements of exceptional functionality and performance before making an all-out effort to raise assembly precision. By implementing measures such as minimizing the width of seams as much as possible, and by devoting a great deal of time and effort to assembly, we arrived at a finish that projects an impression of both grace and ruggedness.
“The use of thixomolding makes it easier to attain the desired precision in materials and thereby reduces the need for post-processing. On the other hand, it requires extremely high mold precision, which considerably raises the degree of difficulty when making parts. However, we maintained our focus on attaining the utmost precision, and the result is a camera that offers faultless performance under the toughest shooting conditions.”