PURPOSE: To obtain an apparatus which has extremely effective functions by providing a one-side plural copying mechanism to a character printer having copying function and printer function.

CONSTITUTION: When the apparatus is going to be used as a copying machine, the light image 2 of a hard copy original 1 enters a photoconductive drum 4 through a lens 3. On the other hand, when it is going to be used as a printer, the laser beam 6 modulated and polarized by the digital data emitted from a laser device 5 enters the drum 4. Since the drum 4 has beforehand been charged uniformly over the entire surface by a charger 7, an electrostatic latent image is formed thereon when the light image or laser beam enters the same. The toner image is formed by the electrostatic attraction of the toner by a developing device 8, and the toner image is transferred to transfer paper 10 by a transfer device 9. This image is fixed by a fixing device 11, thereby providing a hard copy.