Multicolor image forming apparatus having a controller for controlling press-contact and separation of an image forming member

A multicolor image forming apparatus for conducting a multicolor image forming process to form a multicolor image or a monochromatic image forming process to form a monochromatic image, comprising:

• a first image forming unit having a first image forming member, a first image forming section for forming a first toner image on the first image forming member, and a first primary transfer section;
• a second image forming unit having a second image forming member, a second image forming section for forming a second toner image on the second image forming member, and a second primary transfer section;
• an intermediate transfer member for carrying a toner image that is transferred from at least one of the first and second image forming members;
• a secondary transfer section for transferring the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a recording material;
• a command section to command one of a multicolor image forming operation and a monochrome image forming operation for respective image forming jobs;
• a priority mode setting section for setting a multicolor priority mode or a monochrome priority mode;
• and
• a controller to control in such a way that in an idling condition and in a waiting condition, when the multicolor priority mode is set, the first and the second image forming members are in press-contact with the intermediate transfer member, and when the monochrome priority mode is set, only the first image forming member is in press-contact with the intermediate transfer member.