A printing apparatus or system has CCDs for reading out image data from an original or originals, a memory for storing the image data, a plurality of recording sections with recording heads, a control for controlling the overall circuitry and mechanical parts. A desired number of copies in black or in color can be produced within a short period of time in accordance with the size of the original image and/or color. A red image which does not require high resolution as much as a black image is automatically reproduced with lower resolution while maintaining high resolution at black portion of the same image. A plurality of recording sections may be equally used for printing only a small number of copies.