Zoom lens system

1. A zoom lens system comprising:

a plurality of lens groups, wherein a specified lens group of said plurality of lens groups is a lens group which is configured to vary a distance between said lens group and an adjacent lens group upon zooming, a distance between lenses of said specified lens group not changing during zooming wherein said specified lens group of said plurality of lens groups includes a focusing lens group which is moved in the optical axis direction in a focusing operation;

a normal photography mode in which focusing is carried out from infinity to a predetermined photographing distance by continuously moving said focusing lens group of said specified lens group in the optical axis direction; and

a shifting mode which shifts from said normal photography mode to a macro photography mode by moving at least one lens element of said specified lens group other than said focusing lens group when focusing on an object at a photographing distance that is shorter than said predetermined photographing distance of said normal photography mode,

wherein, when said zoom lens system is in said macro photography mode, focusing is carried out from said predetermined photographing distance to a minimum photographing distance by continuously moving said focusing lens group of said specified lens group in the optical axis direction.

2. The zoom lens system according to claim 1 , wherein said specified lens group comprises a positive first lens group, which is provided closest to the object side, of said plurality of lens groups, and

wherein said focusing lens group is provided on the image side within said first lens group.

3. The zoom lens system according to claim 2 , wherein during zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, said first lens group remains substantially stationary with respect to the image plane of said zoom lens system.

4. The zoom lens system according to claim 1 , wherein said specified lens group comprises a negative first lens group which is provided closest to the object side, of said plurality of lens groups, and

wherein said focusing lens group is provided on the image side within said first lens group.

5. The zoom lens system according to claim 4 , wherein during zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, said first lens group remains substantially stationary with respect to the image plane of said zoom lens system.

6. The zoom lens system according to claim 1 , wherein, in the normal photographing mode and in the macro photographing mode, a lens group other than the focusing lens group of the specified lens group is stationary while focusing is carried out.

7. The zoom lens system according to claim 1 , the shifting mode being independent of a zooming operation.

8. A zoom lens system comprising:

a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group, and a positive fourth lens group, in that order from the object side, wherein at least said second lens group and said third lens group move in an optical axis direction upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, and wherein said first lens group includes a first sub-lens group and a second sub-lens group, in that order from the object side, said second sub-lens group constituting a focusing lens group which moves in the optical axis direction during a focusing operation;

a normal photography mode in which focusing is carried out from infinity to a predetermined photographing distance by continuously moving said second sub-lens group in an optical axis direction while said first sub-lens group remains stationary;

a shifting mode which shifts from said normal photography mode to a macro photography mode by moving both of said first sub-lens group and said second sub-lens group in the optical axis direction when focusing on an object at a photographing distance that is shorter than said predetermined photographing distance of said normal photography mode,

wherein, when said zoom lens system is in said macro photography mode, focusing is carried out from said predetermined photographing distance to a minimum photographing distance by continuously moving said second sub-lens group in the optical axis direction while said first sub-lens group remains stationary.

9. The zoom lens system according to claim 8 , wherein the following condition is satisfied:

1.2< f 1 b/f 1 G< 2.0 . . . wherein

f1b designates the focal length of said second sub-lens group, and

f1G designates the focal length of said first lens group.

10. The zoom lens system according to claim 8 , wherein in said normal photography mode, said second sub-lens group is moved in the optical axis direction toward said first sub-lens group, which is stationary, when focusing is carried out from infinity to said predetermined photographing distance,

wherein in said shifting mode which shifts from said normal photography mode to a macro photography mode, said first sub-lens group and said second sub-lens group mutually move away from each other in the optical axis direction, and

wherein in said macro photography mode, said second sub-lens group is moved in the optical axis direction toward said first sub-lens group, which is stationary, when focusing is carried out from said predetermined photographing distance to said minimum photographing distance.

11. The zoom lens system according to claim 8 , wherein the following condition is satisfied:

−4.0< f 3 G/f 2 G<− 2.0 . . . , wherein

f3G designates the focal length of said third lens group, and

f2G designates the focal length of said second lens group.

12. The zoom lens system according to claim 8 , the shifting mode being independent of a zooming operation.

13. A zoom lens system comprising a negative first lens group, and a positive second lens group, in that order from the object side, wherein a distance between said first lens group and said second lens group decreases during zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, and wherein said first lens group includes a first sub-lens group and a second sub-lens group, in that order from the object side, said second sub-lens group constituting a focusing lens group which moves in the optical axis direction during a focusing operation;

a normal photography mode in which focusing is carried out from infinity to a predetermined photographing distance by continuously moving said second sub-lens group in an optical axis direction while said first sub-lens group remains stationary;

a shifting mode which shifts from said normal photography mode to a macro photography mode by moving both of said first sub-lens group and said second sub-lens group in the optical axis direction when focusing on an object at a photographing distance that is shorter than said predetermined photographing distance of said normal photography mode,

wherein, when said zoom lens system is in said macro photography mode, focusing is carried out from said predetermined photographing distance to a minimum photographing distance by continuously moving said second sub-lens group in the optical axis direction while said first sub-lens group remains stationary.

14. The zoom lens system according to claim 13 , wherein upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, said first lens group first moves toward the image side and thereafter moves toward the object side, and said second lens group monotonically moves toward the object side.