Zoom optical system, optical apparatus and method for manufacturing the zoom optical system

A zoom optical system comprising, in order from an object:

• a first lens group having positive refractive power;
• an intermediate group including at least one lens group and having negative refractive power as a whole;
• an intermediate side lens group having positive refractive power;
• a subsequent side lens group having positive refractive power;
• and a subsequent group including at least one lens group, wherein
• upon zooming, distances between the first lens group and the intermediate group, between the intermediate group and the intermediate side lens group, between the intermediate side lens group and the subsequent side lens group, and between the subsequent side lens group and the subsequent group change,
• the subsequent side lens group moves upon focusing,
• the first lens group comprises, in order from an object:
• a 1-1st lens having positive refractive power;
• a 1-2nd lens having negative refractive power;
• and a 1-3rd lens having positive refractive power, and
• following conditional expressions are satisfied:
• 2.5<f1/fRP1<5.0
• 0.85<nP/nN<1.00
• 2.35<νP/νN<2.90
• where,
• f1 denotes a focal length of the first lens group,
• fRP1 denotes a focal length of the intermediate side lens group,
• nP denotes a refractive index of a lens with largest positive refractive power in the first lens group,
• nN denotes a refractive index of a lens with largest negative refractive power in the first lens group,
• νP denotes an Abbe number of the lens with largest positive refractive power in the first lens group, and
• νN denotes an Abbe number of the lens with largest negative refractive power in the first lens group.

A method for manufacturing a zoom optical system which comprises, in order from an object:

• a first lens group having positive refractive power;
• an intermediate group including at least one lens group and having negative refractive power as a whole;
• an intermediate side lens group having positive refractive power;
• a subsequent side lens group having positive refractive power;
• and a subsequent group including at least one lens group,
• the method comprising a step of arranging the lens groups in a lens barrel so that:
• upon zooming, distances between the first lens group and the intermediate group, between the intermediate group and the intermediate side lens group, between the intermediate side lens group and the subsequent side lens group, and between the subsequent side lens group and the subsequent group change;
• and
• further comprising one or more of the following features (A) and (B):
• (A) the subsequent side lens group moves upon focusing, wherein
• the subsequent side lens group comprises at least one lens having positive refractive power and at least one lens having negative refractive power, and
• following conditional expressions are satisfied:
• 2.5<f1/fRP1<5.0
• 2.9<f1/(−fMt)<5.5
• 0.2<fP/(−fN)<0.8
• where,
• f1 denotes a focal length of the first lens group,
• fRP1 denotes a focal length of the intermediate side lens group,
• fMt denotes a focal length of the intermediate group in the telephoto end state,
• fP denotes a focal length of a lens with largest positive refractive power in the subsequent side lens group, and
• fN denotes a focal length of a lens with largest negative refractive power in the subsequent side lens group;
• and
• (B) the subsequent side lens group moves upon focusing, wherein
• the first lens group comprises, in order from an object:
• a 1-1st lens having positive refractive power;
• a 1-2nd lens having negative refractive power;
• and a 1-3rd lens having positive refractive power, and
• following conditional expressions are satisfied:
• 2.5<f1/fRP1<5.0
• 0.85<nP/nN<1.00
• 2.35<νP/νN<2.90
• where,
• f1 denotes a focal length of the first lens group,
• fRP1 denotes a focal length of the intermediate side lens group,
• nP denotes a refractive index of a lens with largest positive refractive power in the first lens group,
• nN denotes a refractive index of a lens with largest negative refractive power in the first lens group,
• νP denotes an Abbe number of the lens with largest positive refractive power in the first lens group, and
• νN denotes an Abbe number of the lens with largest negative refractive power in the first lens group.