Variable magnification optical system, optical apparatus, and method for producing variable magnification optical system

A method for manufacturing a variable magnification optical system which comprises, in order from an object side, a first lens group having negative refractive power, a first intermediate lens group having positive refractive power, a second intermediate lens group having negative refractive power and a rear lens group, comprising the steps of:

• constructing such that, upon varying a magnification from a wide angle end state to a telephoto end state, a distance between said first lens group and said first intermediate lens group is varied, a distance between said first intermediate lens group and said second intermediate lens group is varied, and a distance between said second intermediate lens group and said rear lens group is varied;
• constructing such that said rear lens group comprises at least one focusing lens group which is moved upon carrying out focusing from an infinite distance object to a close distance object;
• and
• constructing such that the following conditional expression is satisfied:
• 0.050<f1/fM2<1.050
• where f1 denotes a focal length of said first lens group, and fM2 denotes a focal length of said second intermediate lens group.