A method for fabricating a MEMS zoom lens device. The device is formed substantially on a silicon substrate and includes control circuitry formed on the substrate, multiple actuators having charge areas for creating electrostatic fields, a flexible support for flexibly coupling a lens to the substrate, an electrostatic layer coupled to the lens. The charge areas act in response to the control circuitry to apply an electrostatic force to the electrostatic layer to move the lens with respect to the substrate and optical sensors or detectors. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible support is formed in a serpentine shape from silicon nitride. A stop support is formed to underlie the flexible support to prevent damage to the flexible support in a rest (i.e., non-zoomed) position.