A variable length decoding apparatus and method for the image format of a digital video camera (DV) is provided for decoding the images of a digital video camera on the PASS2 decoding layer. The apparatus comprises a first register, a second register, a third register and a fourth register for saving a bit stream, a barrel shifter for producing output data with a length of sixteen bits, a bit stream generator for generating the combined bit stream, a programmable logic array for decoding the image by looking up the table, a controller for controlling the decoding process and fixed length decode, and an accumulator for accumulating the bit number of the bit stream that is being decoded. The present apparatus can decode much higher frequency components, and the quality of the decoded image is better and the color of the decoded image is more vivid.