To provide a zoom lens which is a negative precedence-type zoom lens, advantageous in ensuring the angle of view at a wide-angle end and in miniaturization, and also advantageous in ensuring a variable magnification ratio and in maintaining optical performance.

The zoom lens includes: a first lens group having negative refractive power; a second lens group having positive refractive power; and a third lens group having positive refractive power; these lens groups being arranged in this order from the object side. The second lens group and the third lens group move so that the intervals between the respective lens groups may vary when a magnification from a wide-angle end to a magnification end is made. The first lens group includes a both concave negative lens component having an aspherical face and a positive lens component, these components being arranged in this order from the object side. Further, the negative lens component has a shape which satisfies a prescribed conditional expression. The negative lens component has a negative lens which satisfies a prescribed conditional expression. The positive lens component has a positive lens which satisfies a prescribed conditional expression. The third lens group satisfies a prescribed conditional expression.