A wide angle zoom lens includes sequentially from the object side, a first lens group having a negative refractive power overall and three lenses, including first to third lenses, having a negative refractive power and disposed farthest on the object side; a second lens group having a positive refractive power overall and one or more sets of cemented lenses; and a third lens group having a negative refractive power. This ultra wide angle zoom lens varies intervals between the first lens group, the second lens group, and the third lens group on the optical axis to zoom from the wide angle end to the telephoto end and satisfies given conditions to thereby enable a high zoom ratio, large diameter, and high resolution.