An image forming method which generates a video signal corresponding to an
image forming command based on a video clock signal, modulates a light
beam according to the video signal, and scans the modulated light beam
along a main scanning direction by means of an oscillation mirror which
resonates based on a drive signal, so as to form a latent image in an
effective image region of a latent image carrier, the method includes:
synchronizing the drive signal with the video clock signal to synchronize
a detection signal with the vide clock signal, the detection signal being
output from a detector which detect the light beam scanned in the main
scanning direction in a region away from an effective scan region which
corresponds to the effective image region; controlling a resonant
frequency of the oscillation mirror based on the detection signal so that
the resonant frequency of the oscillation mirror almost coincides with
the frequency of the drive signal; and adjusting a position, at which the
latent image is written over the latent image carrier, is adjusted by
adjusting output timing of the video signal based on the detection signal
from the detector.