A zoom lens system ZL installed in an electronic still camera 1 and the like comprising, in order from an object side: a first lens group G1 having negative refractive power; and a second lens group G2 having positive refractive power; the second lens group including at least two cemented lenses each of which includes a positive lens disposed to the object side and a negative lens disposed to an image side, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group varying upon zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, thereby providing a zoom lens system having excellent optical performance, an optical apparatus equipped with the zoom lens system, and a method for manufacturing the zoom lens system.