A multi-beam laser scanning unit including a plurality of laser diodes arranged
in the vertical direction, and a plurality of collimating lens units having collimating
lenses, which are arranged in the laser beam optical path in order to convert laser
beams emitted from each of the laser diodes into linear beams. The collimating
lens units are arranged in a manner such that adjacent collimating lens units are
partly overlapped in the laser beam scanning direction. Each of the collimating
lenses has a different focal length.