Image forming method using magnetic brush and specific carrier

An image forming method, comprising:

• conveying a two component-type developer comprising a toner and a magnetic carrier carried on a developer-carrying member to a developing station, and
• forming a magnetic brush of the developer in a magnetic field formed by a developing magnetic pole disposed inside the developer carrying member at the developing station and causing the magnetic brush to contact an electrostatic latent image held on a latent image-bearing member, thereby developing the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image;
• wherein said carrier comprises carrier particles having an average particle size of 5-100 .mu.m, wherein said carrier comprises a soft magnetic material having a bulk density of at most 3.0 g/cm.sup.3, and magnetic properties including:
• a magnetization of 30-150 emu/cm.sup.3 under a magnetic field strength of 1000 oersted, having a coercive force of at most 42 oersted and relationships (1) and (2):
• .vertline..sigma..sub.1000 -.sigma..sub.300 .vertline./.sigma..sub.1000 .ltoreq.0.40 (1),
• wherein .sigma..sub.1000 and .sigma..sub.300 denote magnetizations (emu/cm.sup.3) under magnetic field strengths of 1000 oersted (Oe) and 300 oersted (Oe), respectively, and
• 0.15 (emu/cm.sup.3.Oe).ltoreq..vertline..sigma..sub.100 -.sigma..sub.r .vertline./100 (Oe) (2),
• wherein .sigma..sub.100 and .sigma..sub.r denote magnetizations (emu/cm.sup.3) under magnetic field strengths of 100 (Oe) and zero (Oe), respectively.