In a lens system of five groups of five lens elements in which a front group of two lens elements and a back group of two lens elements are symmetrically arranged on either side of a biconvex lens centrally located therebetween, a copying lens characterized in that the lens elements in sequence from the object comprise a first lens having a positive meniscus configuration with its convex surface directed toward an object, the second lens having a biconcave configuration, a third lens having a biconcovex configuration, a fourth lens having a biconcave configuration and a fifth lens having a positive meniscus configuration with its convex surface being directed toward the image and in which the condition0.2 f