The zoom lens consists of, in order from an object side, a first lens group that has a positive refractive power, a second lens group that has a negative refractive power, a middle group that includes one or more lens groups, and a final lens group. The middle group has a positive refractive power as a whole throughout an entire zoom range. During zooming, a spacing between the first lens group and the second lens group changes, a spacing between the second lens group and the middle group changes, and a spacing between the middle group and the final lens group changes. The zoom lens satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.

The technology of this application relates to a zoom lens, a camera module, and a mobile terminal. The zoom lens includes a plurality of lens groups, for example, a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group, a fourth lens group, and a fifth lens group that are arranged from an object side to an image side. The first lens group is a lens group with a positive focal power, the second lens group is a lens group with a negative focal power, and the third lens group is a lens group with a positive focal power. The fourth lens group is a lens group with a positive focal power or a negative focal power, and the fifth lens group is a lens group with a positive focal power or a negative focal power.

Provided are: a zoom lens including, in order from an object side, a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, an Intermediate group having one or more lens groups and having positive refractive power as a whole, a lens group having negative refractive power, and, a rear group having one or more lens groups, wherein the intermediate group includes at least two lens surfaces each of which is a cemented surface and is a diverging surface, a space between adjacent lens groups changes in zooming, the lens group moves on an optical axis in focusing, and the zoom lens satisfies the predetermined conditional expression; and an imaging apparatus including the zoom lens.

A zoom lens ZL includes: a first lens unit L1 having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit L2 having a negative refractive power, and a third lens unit L3 having a positive refractive power, an N−1th lens unit, and an Nth lens unit, the lens units being arranged in order from an object side to an image side. The N−1th lens unit and the Nth lens unit are located on the image side with respect to an aperture stop SP.

A zoom optical system (ZL) comprises, in order from an object: a first lens group (G1) having a positive refractive power; a second lens group (G2) having a negative refractive power; a third lens group (G3) having a positive refractive power; and a subsequent lens group (GR), wherein upon zooming, a distance between the first lens group (G1) and the second lens group (G2) changes, a distance between the second lens group (G2) and the third lens group (G3) changes, and a distance between the third lens group (G3) and the subsequent lens group (GR) changes, the subsequent lens group (GR) comprises a focusing lens group that moves upon focusing, and following conditional expressions are satisfied, 3.70<f1/(−f2)<5.00, 3.20<f1/f3<5.00, where f1: a focal length of the first lens group (G1), f2: a focal length of the second lens group (G2), and f3: a focal length of the third lens group (G3).

In an optical system according to each exemplary embodiment, an interval between adjacent lens units changes in focusing from an infinite-distance object to a close-distance object, and a first in-focus state in which β=−1.2 is obtained can be caused, where β is a lateral magnification of an entire system. The optical system according to each exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of focus lens units, and out of a focus lens unit having a largest absolute value of a focus sensitivity and a focus lens unit having a second largest absolute value of a focus sensitivity in a state in which focus is put on an infinite-distance object, a focus lens unit disposed on an object side is a lens unit LA, and a focus lens unit disposed on an image side is a lens unit LB. A partial optical system LC including all lenses disposed on the image side of the lens unit LB has negative refractive power. The partial optical system LC satisfies a predetermined conditional expression.

A variable magnification optical system comprising a plurality of lens groups which includes a first negative lens group having negative refractive power, a second negative lens group disposed at a more image side than the first negative lens group and having negative refractive power, a third negative lens group disposed at a more image side than the second negative lens group and having negative refractive power; upon varying a magnification, distances between adjacent lens groups being varied; the first negative lens group being movable to include a component in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis as a vibration reduction lens group; the second negative lens group being moved along the optical axis upon carrying out focusing; and the predetermined conditional expression(s) being satisfied. The variable magnification optical system can attain a high optical performance and be made in small in size.

A variable magnification optical system comprising a plurality of lens groups which includes a first negative lens group having negative refractive power, a second negative lens group disposed at a more image side than the first negative lens group and having negative refractive power, a third negative lens group disposed at a more image side than the second negative lens group and having negative refractive power; upon varying a magnification, distances between adjacent lens groups being varied; the first negative lens group being movable to include a component in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis as a vibration reduction lens group; the second negative lens group being moved along the optical axis upon carrying out focusing; and the predetermined conditional expression(s) being satisfied. The variable magnification optical system can attain a high optical performance and be made in small in size.

A zoom image pickup apparatus includes a mount portion, a zoom lens which forms an image of light incident from the mount portion, and an image pickup element which is disposed at an image forming position. The zoom lens includes in order from an image 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 a lens unit having a negative refractive power. The second lens unit is a focusing lens unit. At the time of zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, the third lens unit and the lens unit having a negative refractive power positioned on an object side of the third lens unit move, and the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied:

φ.sub.L1<φ.sub.3GL1   (1).

A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image 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 having a negative refractive power, and a rear unit having a plurality of lens units, a distance between adjacent lens units changing during zooming. A predetermined condition is satisfied.