An inner focus lens includes sequentially from an object side, a first lens group having a positive refractive power; a second lens group having a negative refractive power; and a third lens group having a negative refractive power. The second lens group is moved along an optical axis, whereby focusing from a focus state for an object at infinity to a focus state for a minimum object distance is performed. A lens group configured by a lens other than a lens that is disposed farthest on the object side is moved in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis to shift an image. The inner focus lens satisfies a conditional expression (1) 0.15≦(1−βp)×βr≦4.50, where βp is transverse magnification of the orthogonally moved lens group and βr is composite transverse magnification of a lens group disposed farther on an image side than the orthogonally moved lens group.

A zoom lens system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group, and a positive fourth lens group. The second and third lens groups are moved during zooming. The first lens group includes a positive first sub-lens group which does not move during a focusing operation, and a positive second sub-lens group which moves during the focusing operation. The first sub-lens group includes at least one negative lens element, the second sub-lens group is a positive single lens element, and the following conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied:
60<νd1b<75   (1),
and
νd1a<24  (2),
wherein νd1b and νd1a_designates Abbe numbers at the d-line of the positive single lens element of the second sub-lens group and at the d-line of the negative lens element within the first sub-lens group, respectively.

A zoom lens consists of, in order from the object side, a positive first lens group that is fixed during magnification change, at least three movable lens groups that are moved during magnification change, and a positive end lens group that is disposed at the most image side and is fixed during magnification change. The at least three movable lens groups include, in order from the object side, a positive lens group, a negative lens group, and a negative lens group. The first lens group includes at least two negative lenses, where the most object-side negative lens has a meniscus shape with the convex surface toward the object side, and a first-n lens, which is at least one negative lens of the rest of the negative lenses of the first lens group, satisfies given condition expressions (1) and (2).

A zoom lens consists of, in order from the object side, a positive first lens group that is fixed during magnification change, at least three movable lens groups that are moved during magnification change, and a positive end lens group that is disposed at the most image side and is fixed during magnification change. The at least three movable lens groups include, in order from the object side, a positive lens group, a negative lens group, and a negative lens group. The first lens group includes at least two negative lenses, where the most object-side negative lens has a meniscus shape with the convex surface toward the object side, and a first-n lens, which is at least one negative lens of the rest of the negative lenses of the first lens group, satisfies given condition expressions (1) and (2).

Provided is a zoom lens including, in order from an object side: a first lens unit not moving for zooming; a second lens unit moving during the zooming; at least one lens unit moving during the zooming; and a rear lens group. The first lens unit includes a first lens sub unit not moving for focusing, and a second lens sub unit moving during the focusing. The first lens sub unit includes a negative lens and a positive lens. A focal length of the first lens unit, a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an image side of the first lens sub unit to a rear principal point position of the first lens sub unit, and a focal length of the zoom lens at a telephoto end are appropriately set.

Provided is a zoom lens including, in order from an object side: a first lens unit not moving for zooming; a second lens unit moving during the zooming; at least one lens unit moving during the zooming; and a rear lens group. The first lens unit includes a first lens sub unit not moving for focusing, and a second lens sub unit moving during the focusing. The first lens sub unit includes a negative lens and a positive lens. A focal length of the first lens unit, a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an image side of the first lens sub unit to a rear principal point position of the first lens sub unit, and a focal length of the zoom lens at a telephoto end are appropriately set.

A zoom lens including, in order from an object side: a positive first lens unit that does not move for zooming; a negative second lens unit that moves during the zooming; a negative third lens unit that moves along a locus convex to the object side during the zooming; an aperture stop; and a positive fourth lens unit that does not move for the zooming. The third lens unit includes a cemented lens formed by cementing a single negative lens and a single positive lens and a single negative lens. A focal length (fn1) of the single negative lens included in the cemented lens, a focal length (fp) of the single positive lens included in the cemented lens, and a lateral magnification (β3w) of the third lens unit at a wide angle end are each appropriately set.

A zoom lens including, in order from an object side: a positive first lens unit that does not move for zooming; a negative second lens unit that moves during the zooming; a negative third lens unit that moves along a locus convex to the object side during the zooming; an aperture stop; and a positive fourth lens unit that does not move for the zooming. The third lens unit includes a cemented lens formed by cementing a single negative lens and a single positive lens and a single negative lens. A focal length (fn1) of the single negative lens included in the cemented lens, a focal length (fp) of the single positive lens included in the cemented lens, and a lateral magnification (β3w) of the third lens unit at a wide angle end are each appropriately set.

A photographing optical lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element and a sixth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has an object-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof. The second lens element has refractive power. Each of the third through sixth lens elements has refractive power and an object-side surface and an image-side surface being both aspheric. The photographing optical lens assembly has a total of six lens elements with refractive power.

A diffractive optical element includes a first lens having a convex surface, a second lens having a concave surface, disposed in such a manner that the concave surface of the second lens faces the convex surface of the first lens, and a diffraction grating section formed between the first and the second lenses and having positive optical power through diffraction. The diffraction grating section includes a first diffraction grating and a second diffraction grating disposed in this order from a side closer to the first lens; the second diffraction grating has a refractive index larger than that of the first diffraction grating, and an inner diameter of a grating wall surface of the diffraction grating section decreases as approaching to the second lens from the first lens.