Fotofinish

Fotofinish, commonly referred to as a photo finish, is a method used in competitive sports to determine the winner in races that end with a very close finish. It relies on high-speed photography or video captured at the finish line to establish the exact order in which competitors cross it. Dedicated finish-line cameras, often line-scan devices or high-frame-rate cameras, record a narrow vertical strip or a sequence of frames showing the crossing moment for each lane. The images are synchronized with electronic timing clocks, and officials review the footage to decide who crossed first. In the most precise cases, the first competitor whose body part crosses the line ahead of the others is declared the winner; if crossing is indistinct in all frames, a dead heat may be declared or a re-run arranged.

History: The need to resolve close finishes led to the development of photo-finish techniques in the late 19th century, initially in horse racing. Modern line-scan cameras and digital processing were adopted in the 20th century and are now standard in major events across sports such as track and field, horse racing, swimming, cycling, and motor sports.

Impact and limitations: Fotofinish reduces human error in finish judgments and provides a verifiable record, but factors such as lighting, weather, and occlusion can complicate analysis. In practice, photographic evidence is used in conjunction with electronic timing, and results are typically final once published by event officials.