A taking lens system for forming an image on a solid-state image sensor has, from the object side thereof: an aperture stop, a first lens element having a positive optical power and convex to the object side, a second lens element having a positive optical power and convex to the image-surface side, and a third lens element having a negative optical power and concave to the image-surface side. Alternatively, a taking lens system for forming an image on a solid-state image sensor has an aperture stop, a first lens element having a positive optical power, having a meniscus shape, and convex to the object side, a second lens element having a positive optical power, and a third lens element having a negative optical power. In addition, in either case, the taking lens system fulfills prescribed conditional formulae.