A zoom lens apparatus includes a first optical lens group having a negative focal length, a second optical lens group having a positive focal length, and a third optical lens group having a positive focal length, arranged in this order from a subject. The lens groups move such that a distance between the first and second optical lens groups is decreased and a distance between the second and third optical lens groups is increased at a scaling change to a long focal length edge. The second optical lens group includes two positive lenses, a negative meniscus lens, and a positive meniscus lens. The zoom lens system satisfies an inequality condition 0.15(N₂₂-N₂₃)0.40, in which N22 is a refractive index of the negative meniscus lens and N23 is a refractive index of the positive meniscus lens conjoined with the negative meniscus lens.