An optical system includes in order from an object side, a negative lens having a concave surface directed toward an object side, an aperture stop, a double convex lens, a negative meniscus lens having a convex surface directed toward an image side, and a positive lens. A surface at the object side of the fourth positive lens is constituted with an aspherical surface, a radius of curvature which decreases from a center portion toward a circumferential portion and a surface at the image side of the positive lens an aspherical surface, radius of curvature of which increases from the center portion toward the circumferential portion and the following condition is satisfied: 0.05<.phi.m/.phi.p<0.80 where m represents the power of the positive lens at the position of the maximum light height and p represents the power of the positive lens at the position the praxis.