Need a camera with good speed and zoom. What do people suggest under $500?

Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode (Black)

The Canon 5157B002 includes the EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR Camera and the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS type II Lens. This camera and lens is perfect for photographers ready to make the move to digital SLR photography. The EOS Rebel T3 delivers beautifu... read more...

I agree with Celly rec. You can get yourself into the best selling DSLR on the planet with your budge. If you really want to get into DSLR photography, I say go for it.

Reply · Send thanks · posted 87 days ago

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX1 9.1MP 20x Optical Zoom Digital Camera with Super Steady Shot Image Stabilization and...

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 is a digital still camera and according to Sony is the world's first digital still camera with a sweep panorama mode for taking seamless 224-degree shots. The camera features a BIONZ image processor, 9.1-megapixel Exmo... read more...

9.0-megapixel Exmor CMOS image sensor for photo-quality pictures up to 13 x 19 inches
20x optical zoom; 28mm wide-angle Sony G-Lens
Capture up to 10 frames per second; HD (1080p) movie capture
3.0-inch Clear Photo LCD tilt display; 90-degree tilt, horizontal and vertical
This is a very popular camera for action and sports because of its large zoom of 20x and quick speed, capturing up to 10 bursts at 10 fps. It also has fast shutter lag and autofocus. Images can be somewhat noisy at high ISO so it is not the very best in low light conditions but what you sacrifice for your indoor shots you will definitely make up for in your outdoor shooting and ease of use. An overall excellent camera.

Reply · Send thanks · posted 92 days ago

Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only)

The D90 delivers the control passionate photographers demand, utilizing comprehensive exposure functions and the intelligence of 3D Color Matrix Metering II. Stunning results come to life on a 3-inch 920,000-dot color LCD monitor, providing accura... read more...

This is an incredible camera for under $500... amazing that you can even get this nice of a camera for such a great price. It's a Canon dSLR, so finding a great zoom lens will be no problem... tons of options.
It's fast as heck, Steve. Quick autofocus, quick processing (DIGIC 4), very fast shutter speeds. And it can shoot 3.7 frames per second... also very cool.