Patent ID: 7706082

Claim:
A zoom lens comprising, in order from an object side thereof, a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group, and a positive fourth lens group, wherein: zooming is implemented by changing a spacing between the respective lens groups; upon received in a lens mount, said third lens group is shifted and positioned while its optical axis is tilted at an angle of ±45° with those of other lens groups or placed substantially horizontal; and at least one of lenses in said second lens group or said fourth lens group is configured such that a portion of said at least one lens proximate to said third lens group being received in the lens mount is cut away; with satisfaction of the following condition (1): 0.3< d× ( F nt /f t )<3.0 (1) where d is a distance between a center point of axial thickness of said third lens group being received in the lens mount and the optical axis, F nt is an F-number at a telephoto end, and f t is a focal length at the telephoto end.