An image forming apparatus utilizing a light-emitting diode (LED). The image forming apparatus includes: an LED head including an LED array that has a plurality of dots, in which a resolution a (dpi) of the LED array and a resolution b (dpi) in a main scanning direction at an image data exposure satisfy a relation: a>b (a being an integral multiple of b); and a lighting control unit that performs a lighting control for the LED head such that main dots used for an exposure are turned on in every {(a/b)-1} dots.