Image recording apparatus and copying system

An image recording apparatus includes at least one recording head, in which a plurality of solid-state recording elements are arranged, for performing image recording by causing each of the plurality of solid-state recording elements to record a pixel, a storage unit for storing correction data for correcting image data in accordance with a recording characteristic of each of the plurality of solid-state recording elements so as to correspond to the corresponding one of the plurality of solid-state recording elements. Each of the plurality of solid-state recording elements is driven in accordance with input image data and the correction data stored in the storage unit. The apparatus also includes a pattern-data generation unit for generating predetermined pattern data, and for causing each of a predetermined number of consecutive solid-state recording elements from among the plurality of solid-state recording elements to record a pixel based on the predetermined pattern data, a reading unit for reading a test pattern recorded by the recording head based on the pattern data generated by the pattern-data generation unit, an acquisition unit for acquiring the recording characteristic of each of the plurality of solid-state recording elements based on a ratio of a number of solid-state recording elements which have recorded pixels in accordance with the predetermined test pattern to a number of pixels of the test pattern read by the reading unit, and a changing unit for changing the correction data for each of the solid-state recording elements in accordance with the recording characteristic of the corresponding one of the solid-state recording elements acquired by the acquisition means. The image recording apparatus can exactly detect the recording characteristic of each of the plurality of solid-state recording elements, and prevent nonuniformity in density caused by individual difference in the recording characteritic during image recording.