A telephoto lens system including a first lens group having a positive refractive power and including at least three positive lenses and one negative lens; a second lens group having a negative refractive power and for performing focusing by moving along an optical axis; and a third lens group having a positive refractive power and including a 3a sub-lens group with positive refractive power and a 3b sub-lens group), wherein the 3a sub-lens group includes a negative lens and a positive lens sequentially arranged from an object side d, the 3b sub-lens group includes a positive lens and a negative lens sequentially arranged from the object side, and the telephoto lens system satisfies a condition, 0.17