Image forming apparatus and image forming method

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a receiver to receive image information from an external device;
• a movable intermediate transfer member;
• a plurality of latent image bearing members disposed substantially in proximity to the intermediate transfer member and arranged along a direction of movement of the intermediate transfer member, a latent image formed on each of the latent image bearing members based on the image information;
• a plurality of developing devices, disposed in proximity to the latent image baring member, to develop the latent image on the latent image bearing member with toner to form a toner image thereon;
• a transfer bias application mechanism to apply a transfer bias to the intermediate transfer member and transfer the toner images onto the intermediate transfer member on one another;
• and
• a secondary transfer member to transfer the superimposed toner image onto a recording medium,
• the transfer bias application mechanism halting temporarily and periodically application of the transfer bias in a continuous output mode in which a plurality of images are continuously formed on different recording media sheets based on the image information of the plurality of images received continuously by the receiver.