Abstract: A variable magnification optical system for projecting images from a small-sized, high-resolution display device consists of, from the projection side, a first lens unit having a positive optical power, a second lens unit having a negative optical power, a third lens unit having a negative optical power, and a fourth lens unit having a positive optical power and kept in a fixed position during magnification adjustment. The optical system achieves magnification adjustment by moving at least the second and third lens units along the optical axis, and has at least one negative lens element in the second lens unit, at least one negative lens element in the third lens unit, and at least one positive lens element in the fourth lens unit made of lens materials having predetermined anomalous dispersions and predetermined Abbe numbers.

Abstract: A zoom lens system of the invention is double telephoto type zoom lens system having a positive/negative/positive/negative refractive power arrangement. During zooming from the wide angle side toward the telephoto side, the first through fourth lens units move such that the distance between the first and second lens units increases and the distance between the third and fourth lens units decreases. The refractive power of the first lens unit and the refractive power of the fourth lens unit are appropriately prescribed so that an adequate back focal lens distance is preserved.

Abstract: A telephoto zoom lens system comprises a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, and a third lens group having a positive refractive power. In a zooming operation, the first lens group moves arithmetically, the second lens group moves from the objective side toward the image side in the first half of the movement and then from the image side toward the objective side in the latter half of movement, and the third lens group moves so as to maintain the image side focal point thereof in a fixed position in conjunction with the first and second lens groups.