An image recording apparatus using an elongated photosensitive recording medium stored in a sheet cartridge in a rolled fashion. The apparatus provides an exposure stand and a reversal sheet feeding arrangement for reversely feeding completely unexposed microcapsule sheet to a position upstream of the exposure stand for the purpose of a subsequent exposure operation. A control means is further provided for automatically starting the subsequent copying operation. In one embodiment, the control means stores therein a copy start signal and automatically starts the next copying operation upon completion of the reversal sheet feeding operation. The copy start signal is generated by the manipulation of the copy start key manipulated at the reversal sheet feeding phase. In another embodiment of this invention, the control means forcibly stops the reversal sheet feeding operation in response to the copy start signal so as to automatically start the copying operation. The copy start signal is generated by the manipulation of the copy start key manipulated at the reversal sheet feeding phase.