Compact folded camera

A folded camera module, comprising:

• a movable lens barrel comprising a plurality of lens elements having a lens optical axis and positioned in an optical path between an optical path folding element (OPFE) and an image sensor, wherein the OPFE folds light from a first direction to a second direction, the second direction being substantially along the lens optical axis, and wherein the lens barrel has a lens barrel height along the first direction and a lens barrel surface;
• an actuator for controlled lens movement, the actuator including a shield having a shield thickness, wherein the shield has a shield opening substantially the same length as the lens barrel such that the shield partially surround the lens barrel;
• and
• a lid having a lid thickness and covering the shield opening,
• wherein the folded camera has a camera height measured along the first direction, and wherein the camera height is substantially equal to a sum of the lens barrel height, the lid thickness, the shield thickness, a size of a first air gap between a first point on the lens barrel surface facing the lid and the lid, and a size of a second air gap between a second point on the lens barrel surface diametrically opposed to the first point and facing the shield and the shield.