They set IE to use compatibility mode when visiting google.com. Apparently google decides how it looks depending on your browser string. Just gave it a try and it works with IE. I think there are plugins for the other browsers that let you impersonate other browsers.
The closest I could get it using firefox was using the setting at the bottom of the image page (and it only works for the current session). That gets you the old search window but not the old preview window.
If you are just trying to get just the image the link over on the right says full size image and takes you directly there. It is not much different than what they used to have. It is a tad annoying in that the old one you could just start scrolling around. The new one you have to click on it to get rid of it.
Previous 
Index 
Next 
Flat 
Re: Blackbelt in Google Fu needed
Reply
Blackbelt in Google Fu needed
