In a monochromatic print mode, an abutting timing on when a secondary
transfer roller abuts on an intermediate transfer belt is different from
the timing in a color print mode. Specifically, in the monochromatic
print mode, the secondary transfer roller abuts on the intermediate
transfer belt prior to the start of an exposure process for the first
image. Then, the secondary transfer roller is separated from the
intermediate transfer belt at completion of the secondary transfer of the
final image. Therefore, the secondary transfer roller has already abutted
on the intermediate transfer belt at the start of the irradiation of a
light beam for forming the first electrostatic latent image. The exposure
process is performed with the secondary transfer roller kept abutting on
the intermediate transfer belt.