Compact wide-angle zoom lens

A compact wide-angle zoom lens having a plurality of lens components, at least some of which are movable between a wide-angle position and a narrow-angle position, said zoom lens being composed, in order from the object side, of a variator that consists of a first lens component having a negative focal length and a second lens component having a positive focal length, and a fixed third lens component that is positioned subsequent to the variator for increasing its focal length, said first lens component having a negative-positive lens unit arrangement, said second lens component having a positive-negative-positive lens unit arrangement, and said first and second lens components being mechanically moved so as to provide a variable focal length and maintain a constant focal position, said third lens component being composed of only one negative lens element, wherein the following conditions are satisfied:

• where
• f.sub.1 :
• the focal length of the first lens component;
• f.sub.2 :
• the focal length of the second lens component;
• f.sub.L :
• the focal length of the overall system for the narrow-angle position;
• and
• m.sub.3 :
• the lateral magnification of the third lens component.