To prevent the total processing speed of a system from lowering at the time of printing small number of copies comprising a plurality of pages where the processing rate is increased before and after printing because a printer is provided with an image memory and print starting process, image data transfer process and printing and stopping process of a plurality of sheets are repeated for every page.

An image processor generates and stores an image data in a memory in units of page based on a PDL data and notifies a prepared number of sheets based on the production of image data and the forming conditions of each page included in the PDL data to a printer 1. Based on the prepared number of sheets, the printer 1 receives a page of image data from the image processor 3 and stores the image data in an image memory 25. At the same time, precedent paper feed is performed and a visible image based on the image data stored in the image memory 25 is formed on a recording medium.