One aspect to consider regarding the obscuration of altimeter digits by the needle is that the needle is only stationary at the instant at which the aircraft is at the apex. The rate of needle movement is low near the apex but needs to be considered with respect to the arc of movement over which any potential confusion between the 2 and 3 in the 'thousands' digit position exists.
Not quite Lomcevak, there will always be a finite lag in a dynamic manoeuvre such as a loop. Moreover, he probably had it in Sby so there would have been an even more noticeable lag, ie, alt still slowly increasing as his RoC hits zero. Partly why you take a couple of peeps of the alt during the 2nd quarter of the loop; 'how's it looking!'. Taking a single snapshot of the alt at apex and then making a call is not the way to do it. It's a little like an approach DH. You don't hit it
then make the call unprepared, but you need to be ready for the GA so you can have auctioned it at DH. He doesn't need to initiate his flyaway at the apex, but he must have made the 'yes/no' call. If you are guilty of trying to just take a snapshot without any prior awareness of 'how's it going?' Then there's a good chance you'll get it wrong!