Desormeux questions photo finish system

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by HalvOnHorseracing

Back in the old days some tracks would post the photo finish pictures for people to review. One particular race there was a four horse photo finish. They posted a photo with a line for the win, and the same photo with a different line for the show. Some guy looks at the two photos and starts yelling, they used the same picture for both. When I told him all the horses noses were actually on the finish line he looked at me like I was insane. He couldn't get past the idea that they just snapped a picture when the first horse passed the finish line and then put the two separate finish lines on it. He was also convinced the horse that finished third wouldn't have been third if they had waited until it hit the finish line since the horse that was fourth was coming fast and would have caught it by the finish. No amount of explaining was going to sway him.

That was me but.........

I don't think it's fair or correct to snap 1 picture and determine all finishing positions from 1 shot.

Are you saying that a horse who wins by 3 (2 horses are dead even when the leader hits the wire but 1 of them is dead tired vs the other one who is flying) and the 2 horses behind that horse should be judged by 1 still shot that is taken when the leader hits the wire???


PA, yes, I know. By now I should've asked to be shown the photo finish equipment and been given a tour. You're 100% right. It's on my bucket list.

[cj]

Originally Posted by EMD4ME

Are you saying that a horse who wins by 3 (2 horses are dead even when the leader hits the wire but 1 of them is dead tired vs the other one who is flying) and the 2 horses behind that horse should be judged by 1 still shot that is taken when the leader hits the wire???

You're pulling our leg, right? After all the discussion on this you can't possibly think that is how this is done.

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by cj

You're pulling our leg, right? After all the discussion on this you can't possibly think that is how this is done.

Of course I don't. But its what Halvey just said IS being done.


Edit: ADD:

I think he's pulling my leg!

[cj]

Originally Posted by EMD4ME

Of course I don't. But its what Halvey just said IS being done.


Edit: ADD:

I think he's pulling my leg!

I think he was saying that is what somebody else thought and he couldn't get the guy to understand otherwise.

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by cj

I think he was saying that is what somebody else thought and he couldn't get the guy to understand otherwise.

Maybe I misread it but I read it 4x.

Sounds like Halvey was mocking the guy who wants another still shot taken as each horse hits the fake line.

I know I want a still shot taken for each horse hitting the fake line.

Did I misread it? If I did, my apologies. Maybe Halvey can confirm please?

[SuperPickle]

Here's the fascinating thing. There is a photo finish issue but as usual Kent has no idea what he's talking about.

The issue isn't what he says it is. The photo finishes are accurate.

It's the advances in camera technology, cost and resolution. If you use a high end resolution camera and blow up the image enough you're almost always to see distance between two images.

Look at this way. With the standard resolution 20-30 years ago if you blew up an image it would just blur. With current technology and the technology moving forward this won't happen. Think about how good the cameras on cell phones have improved in the last 5-10 years.

Also the cost is dropping so it'll be cost effective for tracks to add it.

So the million dollar question is where do you stop? Theoretically you can keep blowing it up forever if the resolution is high enough and 99% you'll find a gap. So in the future you could have little or maybe even no dead heats as technology advances.

The other interesting thing is this. As higher end tracks improve their technology and equipment it'll be the top tier tracks first. So a Dead Heat at mountaineer might not be one at Belmont.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by EMD4ME

That was me but.........

I don't think it's fair or correct to snap 1 picture and determine all finishing positions from 1 shot.

Are you saying that a horse who wins by 3 (2 horses are dead even when the leader hits the wire but 1 of them is dead tired vs the other one who is flying) and the 2 horses behind that horse should be judged by 1 still shot that is taken when the leader hits the wire???


PA, yes, I know. By now I should've asked to be shown the photo finish equipment and been given a tour. You're 100% right. It's on my bucket list.

Its a strip camera, fixed on the line. the film (or digital equivalent) is moving at the same speed as the horses. So it's not a "snapshot" of the horses, but a representation of how each part of each horse looks as she crosses the line.

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Its a strip camera, fixed on the line. the film (or digital equivalent) is moving at the same speed as the horses. So it's not a "snapshot" of the horses, but a representation of how each part of each horse looks as she crosses the line.

That's exactly what I thought.


Help me out. I'm serious. Am I misreading Halvey's Post?

Halvey, for the record I love your blob. Not a dig on you sir

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by HuggingTheRail

He thinks it should be at the eighth pole....

He thinks it is!

[AltonKelsey]

SuperPickle is right.

The solution is simple, any finish below a certain threshhold, is a dead heat.

Else you'd be talking a 1/50th of an inch deciding the race.

Not sure what's fair, 1/8" 1/4" (seems to high) ? 1/16"?

And there is no politics in that.

[AltonKelsey]

Originally Posted by EMD4ME

Of course I don't. But its what Halvey just said IS being done.


Edit: ADD:

I think he's pulling my leg!

Rereading Halvey's post, yes, it is confusing.

Let's ask Kent .

[cj]

Originally Posted by AltonKelsey

Rereading Halvey's post, yes, it is confusing.

Let's ask Kent .

I wouldn't this late into the evening.

[NorCalGreg]

Originally Posted by EMD4ME

Maybe I misread it but I read it 4x.

Sounds like Halvey was mocking the guy who wants another still shot taken as each horse hits the fake line.

I know I want a still shot taken for each horse hitting the fake line.

Did I misread it? If I did, my apologies. Maybe Halvey can confirm please?

I'm sorry I stumbled onto this thread Every horse that crosses the finish line gets his picture taken--as he crosses the line---right? Even when it doesn't seem to matter, you'll look at a chart and see a DH for 5TH PLACE....even though the purse money is exactly the same....either way.

I had to re-read Halvey's post a few times myself

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by AltonKelsey

SuperPickle is right.

The solution is simple, any finish below a certain threshhold, is a dead heat.

Else you'd be talking a 1/50th of an inch deciding the race.

Not sure what's fair, 1/8" 1/4" (seems to high) ? 1/16"?

And there is no politics in that.

That's what track and field ended up doing. The technology exists to time to 1/1000th of a second, but they don't use it- anything less than 1/100th is a tie.

[cj]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

That's what track and field ended up doing. The technology exists to time to 1/1000th of a second, but they don't use it- anything less than 1/100th is a tie.

Cycling does the same thing.