In an image forming apparatus forming an electrostatic latent image on a surface of a photosensitive body by exposing the charged photosensitive body, developing the latent image using a toner to form a toner image, transferring the toner image to a image holding body, and erasing the remaining charge on the surface of the photosensitive body after completion of the transferring, the photosensitive body is formed of a base material consisting of As.sub.2 Se.sub.3 or a-Si, and wherein the wavelength .lambda..sub.0 of the writing light used for the exposure is limited to a wavelength not larger than 780 nm, the wavelength .lambda..sub.1 of charge erasing light used for the charge erasing is limited to a wavelength smaller than 680 nm, and the time T.sub.1 from completion of the exposure to initiation of the development is limited within the range of 70 milliseconds to 300 milliseconds.