Patent ID: 6999242

Claim:
A zoom lens, comprising, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens unit of negative optical power, said first lens unit consisting of, in order from the object side to the image side, a negative lens and a positive lens; a second lens unit of positive optical power; and a third lens unit of positive optical power, wherein a separation between said first lens unit and said second lens unit and a separation between said second lens unit and said third lens unit are varied to effect variation of magnification, wherein, during the variation of magnification from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end with an infinitely distant object focused on, said third lens unit moves monotonically toward the image side or moves with a locus convex toward the image side, and wherein said zoom lens satisfies the following condition: 0.7 <|f 1 / ft |<1.0 where f 1 is a focal length of said first lens unit, and ft is a focal length of said zoom lens at the telephoto end.