Zoom lens

A zoom lens comprising, in order from the object side, a first lens group of a negative refractive power, a second lens group of a positive refractive power, a third lens group of a positive refractive power and a fourth lens group of a negative refractive power, wherein, in the zooming operation from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the distance between the first and second lens groups decreases, the distance between said second and third lens groups increases, and the distance between said third and fourth lens groups increases.

A zoom lens comprising, in order from the object side, a first lens group of a negative refractive power that is closer to the object side than any other lens group of the zoom lens, a second lens group of a positive refractive power, a third lens group of a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group of a negative refractive power, wherein, in the zooming operation from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the distance between said first and second lens groups decreases, the distance between said second and third lens groups varies, the distance between said third and fourth lens groups varies, and the focusing operation from a long object distance to a short object distance is executed by a movement of said second lens group toward the image plane.