DVCPRO Guide

What is DVCPRO?

DVCPro is Panasonic's proprietary upgrade to the Mini DV standard just as DVCAM is Sony's. DVCPRO equipment is more rugged than DV cameras and is used in news filming and on-the-road recording.

The "standard" DVCPRO cassette holds 123 minutes of tape. Newer ones do 184 minutes. All DVCPRO equipment accepting the standard size cassette should be able to record or play for 184 minutes, but only the newer equipment have been "programmed" to understand the larger load. If you are using the 184 minute tape in older equipment you may get strange things happen, check with your Panasonic rep that rewinds, Fast forward etc will all work as expected.

Like Sony's DVCAM the Panasonic DVCPRO has a track pitch larger than the standard DV. With the DVCPro it's 18 mm (as opposed to Sony's 15mm and 10 mm for DV). All DVCPRO equipment is backward compatible and can play back ordinary DV tapes and also  Sony DVCAM tapes.

Detailed comparison of the DV, DVCAM and DVCPRO formats

Another useful DVCPRO site

DVCPRO at Panasonic