The present invention proposes a method of controlling the laser power of a semiconductor laser that, in this method of controlling the laser power of a semiconductor laser by applying a power source voltage to between the collector and emitter of an output transistor and a serial circuit of the output transistor and a semiconductor laser, enables decreasing the power consumption of the output transistor. The present invention is arranged to apply a variable power source voltage Vcc to a serial circuit of an output transistor (Qb) and a semiconductor laser (SL) and thereby control the variable power source voltage Vcc such that a difference between the variable power source voltage Vcc and the peak hold voltage of an operating voltage of the semiconductor laser (SL) becomes substantially constant. |