Color image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a photoconductor drum;
• a charging unit configured to charge the photoconductor drum;
• a light emitting element configured to operate in at least a laser emission operating region, the light emitting element radiating light on the charged photoconductor drum to form a latent image, wherein the latent image becomes visible when toner attaches to the photoconductor drum;
• a first light-intensity controller configured to adjust, in a state where a first driving current added with a second driving current smaller than the first driving current and a third driving current smaller than a current required for the light emitting element to emit a laser beam is supplied to the light emitting element, the first driving current such that an emission level of the light emitted from the light emitting element is a first emission level;
• and
• a second light-intensity controller configured to adjust, in a state where the second driving current added with the third driving current but without the first driving current is supplied to the light emitting element, the second driving current such that the emission level of the light emitted from the light emitting element is a second emission level smaller than the first emission level;
• a switching unit operative to add the first driving current to the second driving current, and the first light-intensity controller being configured to adjust the first driving current such that the first driving current added with the second driving current causes the light emitting element to emit light with the intensity at the first emission level for forming the latent image on an image section in an image region, the switching unit being further configured to switch off the first driving current to cause the light emitting element to be driven by the second driving current, so as to emit light with the intensity at the second emission level for a non-image section in the image region.