a lens driving apparatus includes a housing , a lens holder mounted on a base of the housing and moveable along an optical axis , a stationary guide member provided on the base , and a moveable guide member provided on and moveable with the lens holder , wherein the moveable guide member is frictionally engaged with the stationary guide member and slidable therealong when the lens holder is activated . the apparatus further include a plurality of magnets with magnetization direction lying on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis , a coil disposed adjacent and parallel to the magnets , and a position encoder provided on the lens holder or the support for close loop control of the movement of the lens holder .