Photographic objective of continuously variable focal length

Photographic objectives of continuously variable focal length, consisting of four lens-groups the first of which (A) is of converging, the second (B) of diverging, the third (C) of diverging, and the fourth (D) of converging refractive power, the change in the focal length of the objective being effected in the manner that the two diverging lens groups (B,C) are displaced along the optical axis relative to each other and relative to the two converging lens groups (A,D), the two diverging lens groups (B,C) consisting together of at least four members at least one of which members has a chromatically acting cemented surface, characterized by the fact that the refractive powers of the movable lens groups (B,C) are so distributed that the variable air space (d.sub.14) present between the lens groups (C) and (D) is larger in the wide-angle position than in any other focal-length postion and is smaller in amount by a factor of 0.3 than the shortest focal length (f.sub.1) of the objective, and that the fourth multilens lens group (D) contains in the front part, consisting of the lenses IX to XII at least one laminated member whose cemented surface is of negative refractive power, and that this laminated member is followed, at a distinct distance from it, by a diverging meniscus (lens XIII) whose concave surface is curved towards the image plane and whose focal length is larger in amount by at least a factor of 3 and at most a factor of 5 than the longest focal length (f.sub.3) of the objective.