Zoom lens system

Claim 2

A zoom lens system comprising, in the order from the object side, a first lens group having positive refractive power and a second lens group having negative refractive power, and so adapted as to perform variation of focal length by varying an airspace reserved between the two lens groups, said second lens group comprising at least one positive lens component designed as a graded refractive index lens component.

Claim 3

A zoom lens system according to claim 1 wherein the graded refractive index lens component arranged in said second lens group has the refractive index distribution expressed by the following formula (A) and satisfies the following condition (1): n(r)=n.sub.0 +n.sub.1 r.sup.2 +n.sub.2 r.sup.4 + (A) n.sub.1 (a)>0 (1) wherein the reference symbol r represents radial distance as measured from the lens center, the reference symbol n(r) designates refractive index of a lens portion located at a radial distance of r, the reference symbol n 0 denotes refractive index at the lens center, and the reference symbols n 1 , n 2 , . . . represent coefficients of refractive index distribution.

Claim 4

A zoom lens system according to claim 2 satisfying the following conditions (3) through (6): 0.5<f.sub.1p /f.sub.w <15 (3) -10<f.sub.Rp /f.sub.Rn <-1 (4) 0.5<f.sub.Rp /f.sub.W ( 5) (D.sub.W -D.sub.T)/Z<8.2 (6) wherein the reference symbol f 1p represents focal length of the positive lens component arranged on the extreme object side in the first lens group, the reference symbol f Rp designates focal length of the positive lens component arranged in the second lens group, the reference symbol f Rn denotes focal length of the negative lens component arranged in the second lens group, the reference symbol f W represents focal length of the zoom lens system as a whole at the wide position thereof, the reference symbols D W and D T designate the airspace reserved between the first and second lens groups at the wide position and the tele position respectively, and the reference symbol z denotes zooming ratio.

Claim 5

A zoom lens system according to claim 3 satisfying the following additional conditions (7) and (8): 0.4<f.sub.Fp /f.sub.W <1.2 (7) HH/f.sub.W <0.8 (8) wherein the reference symbol f Fp represents focal length of the positive lens component arranged on the extreme image side in the first lens group and the reference symbol HH designates distance between the principal points of the zoom lens system as a whole at the wide position thereof.

Claim 6

A zoom lens system according to claim 2 wherein said first lens group comprises at least one graded refractive index lens component and said second lens group comprises at least one aspherical surface, refractive index distribution of said graded refractive index lens component being expressed by the following formula (A) and said zoom lens system being so designed as to satisfy the following condition (2) n(r)=n.sub.0 +n.sub.1 r.sup.2 +n.sub.2 r.sup.4 + (z)n.sub.1 (b)<0 wherein the reference symbol r represents radial distance as measured from the lens center, the reference symbol n(r) designates refractive index at the radial distance r, the reference symbol n 0 denotes refractive index at the lens center, and the reference symbols n 1 , n 2 , . . . represent the coefficients of refractive index distribution.

Claim 7

A zoom lens system according to claim 5 satisfying the following conditions (3) through (6): 0.5<f.sub.1p /f.sub.W <15 (3) -10<f.sub.Rp /f.sub.Rn <-1 (4) 0.5<f.sub.Rp /f.sub.W ( 5) (D.sub.W -D.sub.T)/Z<8.2 (6) wherein the reference symbol f 1p represents focal length of the positive lens component arranged on the extreme object side in the first lens group, the reference symbol f Rp designates focal length of the positive lens component arranged in the second lens group, the reference symbol f Rn denotes focal length of the negative lens component arranged in the second lens group, the reference symbol f W represents focal length of the zoom lens system as a whole at the wide position thereof, the reference symbols D W and D T designate the airspace reserved between the first and second lens groups at the wide position and the tele position respectively, and the reference symbol z denotes zooming ratio.

Claim 8

A zoom lens system according to claim 6 satisfying the following additional contitions (7) and (8): 0.4<f.sub.FP /f.sub.W <1.2 (7) HH/f.sub.W <0.8 (8) wherein the reference symbol f Fp represents focal length of the positive lens component arranged on the extreme image side in the first lens group and the reference symbol HH designates distance between the principal points of the zoom lens system as a whole at the wide position therof.

Claim 9

A zoom lens system according to claim 1 wherein the lens component arranged on the extreme image side in the first lens group is designed as a graded refractive index lens component having the refractive index distribution expressed by the following formula (A) and satisfying the following condition: n(r)=n.sub.0 +n.sub.1 r.sup.2 +n.sub.2 r.sup.4 + (A) n.sub.1 <0 wherein the reference symbol r represents radial distance as measured from the lens center, the reference symbol n(r) designates refractive index of a lens portion located at a radial distance of r, the reference symbol n 0 denotes refractive index at the lens center, and the reference symbols n 1 , n 2 , . . . represent coefficients of refractive index distribution.

Claim 10

A zoom lens system according to claim 1 so adapted as to vary the airspace reserved between the positive lens component and the negative lens component in the second lens group during variation of focal length.