A zoom lens system includes a plurality of lens groups, a lens group of which is moved to perform zooming, wherein a specified lens group of the lens groups is a focusing lens group; a normal photography mode in which focusing is carried out from infinity to a predetermined photographing distance by moving the focusing lens group of the specified lens group; and a shifting mode which shifts from the normal photography mode to a macro photography mode by moving a lens element of the specified lens group other than the focusing lens group when focusing on an object at a photographing distance that is shorter than the predetermined photographing distance. When the zoom lens system is in the macro photography mode, focusing is carried out from the predetermined photographing distance to a minimum photographing distance by moving the focusing lens group.