An image forming apparatus includes first and second toner image forming
sections and a transfer unit. The first and second toner image forming
sections include first and second image carriers and first and second
intermediate transfer members, respectively. The color toner images are
formed on the image carrier and then transferred onto the intermediate
transfer member to form a composite color toner image on the intermediate
transfer member. In a first mode, the first and second toner image
forming sections form both the composite dark and light color toner
images on the recording material. In a second mode, the second
intermediate transfer member is moved out of contact with the transfer
unit and the second image carrier and the second intermediate transfer
member are not operated, so that only the first toner image forming
section forms the composite dark color toner image on the recording
material.