A zoom lens comprising, from front to rear, a first lens component having a positive focal length, a second lens component having a negative focal length and a third group having a positive focal length, the first and second lens components being moved to effect zooming, and the first lens component being moved to effect focusing. The above-described first, second and third lens components are each provided with at least one aspheric lens. The first lens component has a negative third order aspheric quantity and the second lens component has a positive third order aspheric quantity to realize a zoom lens of high imaging performance with fewer constituent lens elements.