A zoom lens optical system includes, in order from an object side along an optical axis: a first lens group having positive refractive power; a second lens group having negative refractive power; a third lens group having positive refractive power; a fourth lens group having negative refractive power; and a fifth lens group having positive refractive power, wherein upon zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, the first lens group being moved with respect to an image plane, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group increasing, a distance between the second lens group and the third lens group decreasing, a distance between the third lens group and the fourth lens group varying, and a distance between the fourth lens group and the fifth lens group varying.