To realize high specification, high performance and the reduction of size and weight by varying all the intervals between respective lens groups whose arrangement is specified in order from the object side and allowing the specified lens group to perform specified movement in the case of zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end.

This zoom lens is provided with the 1st lens group G1 having positive refractive power, the 2nd lens group G2 having negative refractive power, the 3rd lens group G3 having the negative refractive power, the 4th lens group G4 having the positive refractive power, and the 5th lens group G5 having the negative refractive power in order from the object side. In the case of zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the respective intervals between the adjacent lens groups G1 to G5 are all varied. Furthermore, in the case of variable power from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the 2nd lens group G2 moves from a position at the wide angle end to the object side first, switches the movement to an image side, and then switches the movement to the object side again and reaches a position at the telephoto end, and the position at the telephoto end is nearer to the image side than the position at the wide angle end. Thus, entire length is shortened, high magnification is easily realized, and aberration is compensated.