An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor having a conductive substrate; a subbing layer disposed on the conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer disposed on the subbing layer; a charging unit for charging the surface of the photoreceptor; an exposure unit for exposing the surface of the photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a toner image; and a transfer unit having an intermediate transfer. The surface of the intermediate transfer belt has a dynamic hardness of from 22.times.10.sup.9 to 36.times.10.sup.9 N/m.sup.2; a dynamic hardness of the surface of the photoreceptor is smaller than the dynamic hardness of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt; and the subbing layer has a thickness of 7 .mu.m or more.