Patent ID: 8199340

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers on which latent images according to image data corresponding to different colors are respectively formed; a plurality of development sections for respectively developing the latent images formed on the image carriers using development agents having different colors; a transfer section for superimposing and transferring the development agents developing the latent images formed on the image carriers on a sheet; an input section into which the image data are input; an analysis section for analyzing whether the image data input into the input section is monochrome image data only when image formation in multicolor is instructed by the image data; an identification information storage section for storing identification information capable of identifying the image data when the analysis section analyzes that the image data is monochrome image data; and a control section for prohibiting at least the operation of the development sections corresponding to some colors when the identification information of the image data input into the input section corresponds to the identification information stored in the identification information storage section only when image formation in multicolor is instructed by the image data.