A zoom lens is provided. The zoom lens includes a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group and an aperture stop. The second lens group is disposed between the first lens group and the third lens group. The aperture stop is disposed between the first lens group and the second lens group. When the zoom lens zooms, the aperture stop is fixed without moving and the first lens group correspondingly moves.

The imaging lens consists of, in order from the object side, a first positive lens group, a stop, a second positive lens group, and a third negative lens group. During focusing, the first lens group and the second lens group move integrally. The first lens group consists of three or less lenses. The first lens group includes a cemented lens in which a negative lens and a positive lens are cemented in order from the object side. The third lens group consists of, in order from the object side, a negative aspheric lens, a negative lens, and a positive lens. The lens closest to the image side in the second lens group is a biconvex lens, and the imaging lens satisfies a predetermined conditional expression regarding the radius of curvature of the surface of the biconvex lens.

The imaging lens consists of, in order from the object side, a first positive lens group, a stop, a second positive lens group, and a third negative lens group. During focusing, the first lens group and the second lens group move integrally. The first lens group consists of three or less lenses. The first lens group includes a cemented lens in which a negative lens and a positive lens are cemented in order from the object side. The third lens group consists of, in order from the object side, a negative aspheric lens, a negative lens, and a positive lens. The lens closest to the image side in the second lens group is a biconvex lens, and the imaging lens satisfies a predetermined conditional expression regarding the radius of curvature of the surface of the biconvex lens.

Comprising a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power, disposed at the most object side, and an image side lens group disposed at a side closer to an image than the first lens group G1, upon zooming, at least a distance between the first lens group G1 and the image side lens group being varied, the image side lens group comprising a vibration reduction lens group GVR which is moved so as to have a component in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis and a focusing lens group GF which is moved along the optical axis upon focusing, thereby providing a variable magnification optical system which has a higher optical performance, an optical apparatus and a method for manufacturing a variable magnification optical system.

A zoom optical system includes a plurality of lens units, the plurality of lens units consist of lens units having a positive refractive power and lens units having a negative refractive power, and the lens units having a positive refractive power include a positive lens unit and an image-side positive lens unit, the image-side positive lens unit is not moved, in the lens plurality of units, a space between the lens units disposed adjacently is changed at a time of zooming, at a time of focusing, or at a time of zooming and at a time of focusing, the positive lens unit includes a predetermined positive lens satisfying the following Conditional Expression (2), and the following Conditional Expression (1) is satisfied:

0.1≦fGBUN1/fGPM≦2.1  (1), and

60.8≦νdGPMP1≦100.0  (2).

A variable magnification optical system includes: in order from an object side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power; a second lens unit having a negative refractive power; a third lens unit having a positive refractive power; and an image-side lens unit. The image-side lens unit includes a lens belonging to a first region and a lens belonging to a second region. At a time of changing magnification, the second lens unit and the third lens unit move.

A variable magnification optical system includes: in order from an object side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power; a second lens unit having a negative refractive power; a third lens unit having a positive refractive power; and an image-side lens unit. The image-side lens unit includes a lens belonging to a first region and a lens belonging to a second region. At a time of changing magnification, the second lens unit and the third lens unit move.

A variable magnification optical system includes, sequentially from an object side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens unit, and a fifth lens unit having a positive refractive power, and each of the lens units makes a different movement relatively to a lens unit that is adjacently positioned at least at one of a time of changing magnification, a time of focusing, and a time of image stabilization.

A variable magnification optical system includes, sequentially from an object side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens unit, and a fifth lens unit having a positive refractive power, and each of the lens units makes a different movement relatively to a lens unit that is adjacently positioned at least at one of a time of changing magnification, a time of focusing, and a time of image stabilization.

A zoom lens system includes: a first lens group having a negative refractive power; a second lens group having a positive refractive power; and an aperture between the first and second lens groups, wherein the first lens group and the second lens group are sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side, wherein the zoom lens system performs zooming and focusing by moving the second and first lens groups, respectively, along an optical axis, and satisfies
2.5<(f.sub.w/f.sub.t)×(T.sub.w/Y)<4.5, where f.sub.w denotes an entire focal length at a wide-angle end, f.sub.t denotes an entire focal length at a telephoto end, and Tw denotes a distance between an image plane and an object side lens surface of a lens closest to the object side of the first lens group at the wide-angle end, and Y denotes a radical axis image height.