An enhanced variable power zoom lens is lightweight in whole and in part, especially, having its focusing lens optics reduced in weight so as to relieve of a load on a focusing drive system, and having its anti-vibration lens optics reduced in both diameter and weight so as to relieve of a load on an anti-vibration drive system and downsize the same. The zoom lens has the foremost or first lens group of positive refractivity, the second lens group of negative refractivity, the third lens group of positive refractivity, the fourth lens group of negative refractivity, and the fifth lens group arranged in sequence from a position closer to the object. The fourth lens group moves toward the image plane for focusing on from the infinity to a proximity object while part of the third lens group moves orthogonal to the optical axis for shifting an image.