To obtain a zoom lens, which is provided with four lens groups as a whole and in which the refractive power of each lens group and the movement conditions thereof associated with variable power are properly set and which has high optical performance throughput the entire variable power range and over the entire object distance, and optical equipment having the zoom lens.

This zoom lens is provided with a 1st lens group L1 having positive refractive power, a 2nd lens group L2 having negative refractive power, a 3rd lens group L3 having positive refractive power and a 4th lens group L4 having negative refractive power, in this order starting from an object side. Zooming is performed, by moving the lens groups so that a space between the 1st and the 2nd lens groups L1 and L2 becomes larger and the space between the 3rd and the 4th lens groups L3 and L4 becomes smaller at the telephoto end than at the wide-angle end. Then the focal distances of each lens group and the space between the 1st and the 2nd lens groups L1 and L2 and a space D23w between the 2nd and the 3rd lens groups L2 and L3 at the wide-angle end are set properly.