[photo-3d] Review of Ekeren 5XR Viewer - 1 - Introduction

["Dr. George A. Themelis" <drt-3d@xxxxxxx>]

This is a long review of a new stereo viewer, sprinkled 
with a few personal opinions about viewers, viewing, and 
recent trends in stereo photography.  If you have an 
interest keep reading, otherwise delete and move on.  
This is quite long, 6 parts, delivered in 3 installments 
which make for easier reading.


--- CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

For many years now I have been using a "Themelized" 8p 
Realist red button viewer to view my stereo slides.  
Even though I bought the highly acclaimed Hugo deWijs 
Comby viewer two years ago, I still use my red button 
viewer for my everyday viewing because it is so easy 
to use (I reserve the Comby for "exhibitions" or for 
viewing 2x2 slides)

This situation changed on July 7th.  That's the date 
I purchased the Ekeren 5XR viewer, in the last hour of 
the NSA convention in Mesa AZ.

A bit of background:  A few months ago I received a box 
from Jon Golden with the latest Ekeren stereo viewers to 
review for an upcoming article in Stereo World.  All the 
viewers were excellent but one viewer in particular 
impressed me deeply (love at first sight?)  

This was the Ekeren 5XR viewer.  I spent a bit of time 
carefully looking through my best slides and comparing 
this viewer with the red button and at the end I was 
convinced:  The Ekeren viewer offered a better image in 
a better package.  More compact, easier to use and superb 
optical quality.  I called Jon and begged him to let me 
keep it... But he wouldn't!  Finally I had to come to Mesa 
to get one.  And that was his last one!  (I understand 
that new stock is coming in this Fall)

Since Mesa I have used the Ekeren 5XR viewer exclusively.  
I must have looked at over 1000 stereo slides and my 
opinion for this viewer is better than ever.  My wife and 
children also like it (very important!)

I will now describe the viewer and the features that I like.

But first, a little background about the maker of this 
viewer.  Jacob van Ekeren is from Holland and he is 
designing and building stereo equipment at his spare time.  
I can count 10 different viewing devices, all marketed in 
the USA by Jon Golden's company, 3D Concepts:  5X, 6X, 5XR, 
Stackviewer, Rotary Viewer, CO-5X, SAM, AIM 5X, CO-VM, CO-MF.

( Jon can be reached at 3dman@xxxxxxxxxxx or via:
http://www.stereoscopy.com/3d-concepts )

These cover everything from 41x101 to 2x2, VM, MF and even 
an alignment jig.  Just looking at the designs you can 
conclude that "the man is a genius".  I had the pleasure of 
meeting Co (short of Jacob) in person in Mesa and it is nice 
to know that a very pleasant person is behind this ingenious 
work.

Back to the viewer:  5XR stands for "5X" magnification and 
"Rack" focusing.  This viewer is a complete design "built 
from scratch" using an attractive black plastic.  All the 
pieces are carefully machined, finished and put together.  
The final design (with internal illumination) is about 4 
inch square and weighs about 1lb (0.45 kg). 

The viewer has two physically separate parts:  The "viewing" 
device that includes the lenses, mechanical adjustments and 
slide holder and the "illumination" device that includes the 
light bulb, batteries, switch and associated components.  I
believe each part can be ordered separately.

To be continued....

George Themelis