developing method using an oscillated electric field and including a specified toner and carrier

A developing method for developing electrostatic latent images comprising:

• (a) forming a thin layer of a developer comprising a toner and a carrier on a developer transporting member having a magnet roller fixed therein by contacting the developer with a developer regulating member, wherein said toner has a volume-average particle size of 4 to 9 .mu.m, and said carrier has a volume-average particle size of 10 to 50 .mu.m, a residual magnetization of 10 emu/g or less, and a saturation magnetization of 30 to 80 emu/g, and wherein an amount of said thin layer of developer is in a range of 0.7 to 10.0 mg/cm.sup.2 ;
• (b) transporting the thin layer of developer to a developing region wherein said developer transporting member confronts an image bearing member;
• and
• (c) supplying the toner contained in the developer from the developer transporting member to the image bearing member with applying an oscillated electric field on the developing region.