Wide-angle zoom lens system

1. A wide-angle zoom lens system comprises a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, and a positive third lens group, in this order from an object,

wherein upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, each of said negative first lens group, said positive second lens group and said positive third lens group move along the optical axis thereof while a distance between said negative first lens group and said positive second lens group decreases, and a distance between said positive second lens group and said positive third lens group also decreases;

wherein said wide-angle zoom lens system satisfies the following condition:

2.45< f 3/ fw< 3.5

wherein

f3 designates the focal length of said positive third lens group; and

fw designates the focal length of the entire wide-angle zoom lens system at the short focal length extremity;

wherein said positive second lens group is moved toward the image in order to perform a focusing operation from an object at infinity to an object at a closer distance.

2. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 1 , further satisfying the following condition:

−0.7< f 1/ f 2<−0.2  (2)

wherein

f1 designates the focal length of said negative first lens group; and

f2 designates the focal length of said positive second lens group.

3. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 1 , wherein said positive second lens group comprises a positive single lens element.

4. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 1 , wherein said positive second lens group comprises a cemented lens having a positive refractive power.

5. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 1 , wherein said negative first lens group is divided into a negative first sub-lens group and a positive second sub-lens group at the largest air-distance therebetween in said negative first lens group, in this order from the object; and,

wherein said negative first sub-lens group and said positive second sub-lens group satisfy the following condition:

0.6< d 1 a - b/fw< 1.35

wherein

d1a-b designates the air-distance from the most image-side surface of said negative first sub-lens group to the most object-side surface of said positive second sub-lens group; and

fw designates the focal length of the entire wide-angle zoom lens system at the short focal length extremity.

6. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 1 ,

wherein said negative first lens group comprises a negative first lens element having a concave surface facing toward the image, a negative second lens element having a concave surface facing toward the image, and a positive third lens element having a convex surface facing toward the object, in this order from the object.

7. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 1 , further satisfying the following condition:

2.9< f 2/ fw< 3.8

wherein

f2 designates the focal length of said positive second lens group; and

fw designates the focal length of the entire wide-angle zoom lens system at the short focal length extremity.

8. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 1 , wherein said positive third lens group comprises at least two negative lens elements and at least two positive lens elements; and,

wherein one of said negative lens elements and one of said positive lens elements are bonded to each other.

9. A wide-angle zoom lens system comprises a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, and a positive third lens group, in this order from an object,

wherein upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, each of said negative first lens group, said positive second lens group and said positive third lens group move along the optical axis thereof while a distance between said negative first lens group and said positive second lens group decreases, and a distance between said positive second lens group and said positive third lens group also decreases;

wherein said wide-angle zoom lens system satisfies the following condition:

2.45< f 3/ fw< 3.5

wherein

f3 designates the focal length of said positive third lens group; and

fw designates the focal length of the entire wide-angle zoom lens system at the short focal length extremity;

wherein said negative first lens group is divided into a negative first sub-lens group and a positive second sub-lens group at the largest air-distance therebetween in said negative first lens group, in this order from the object; and,

wherein said negative first sub-lens group and said positive second sub-lens group satisfy the following condition:

0.6< d 1 a - b/fw< 1.35

wherein

d1a-b designates the air-distance from the most image-side surface of said negative first sub-lens group to the most object-side surface of said positive second sub-lens group; and

fw designates the focal length of the entire wide-angle zoom lens system at the short focal length extremity.

10. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 9 , further satisfying the following condition:

−0.7< f 1/ f 2<−0.2  (2)

wherein

f1 designates the focal length of said negative first lens group; and

f2 designates the focal length of said positive second lens group.

11. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 9 , wherein said positive second lens group comprises a positive single lens element.

12. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 9 , wherein said positive second lens group comprises a cemented lens having a positive refractive power.

13. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 9 ,

wherein said negative first lens group comprises a negative first lens element having a concave surface facing toward the image, a negative second lens element having a concave surface facing toward the image, and a positive third lens element having a convex surface facing toward the object, in this order from the object.

14. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 9 , further satisfying the following condition:

2.9< f 2/ fw< 3.8

wherein

f2 designates the focal length of said positive second lens group; and

fw designates the focal length of the entire wide-angle zoom lens system at the short focal length extremity.

15. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 9 , wherein said positive third lens group comprises at least two negative lens elements and at least two positive lens elements; and,

wherein one of said negative lens elements and one of said positive lens elements are bonded to each other.

16. A wide-angle zoom lens system comprises a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, and a positive third lens group, in this order from an object,

wherein upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, each of said negative first lens group, said positive second lens group and said positive third lens group move along the optical axis thereof while a distance between said negative first lens group and said positive second lens group decreases, and a distance between said positive second lens group and said positive third lens group also decreases;

wherein said wide-angle zoom lens system satisfies the following condition:

2.45< f 3/ fw< 3.5

wherein

f3 designates the focal length of said positive third lens group; and

fw designates the focal length of the entire wide-angle zoom lens system at the short focal length extremity; and

further satisfying the following condition:

2.9< f 2/ fw< 3.8

wherein

f2 designates the focal length of said positive second lens group; and

fw designates the focal length of the entire wide-angle zoom lens system at the short focal length extremity.

17. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 16 , further satisfying the following condition:

−0.7< f 1/ f 2<−0.2  (2)

wherein

f1 designates the focal length of said negative first lens group; and

f2 designates the focal length of said positive second lens group.

18. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 16 , wherein said positive second lens group comprises a positive single lens element.

19. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 16 , wherein said positive second lens group comprises a cemented lens having a positive refractive power.

20. The wide-angle zoom lens system according to claim 16 , wherein said positive third lens group comprises at least two negative lens elements and at least two positive lens elements; and,

wherein one of said negative lens elements and one of said positive lens elements are bonded to each other.