What is more important, good camera body or good glass??

I suspect glass is more important, but here is why I ask..

Photography is just a hobby for me so I just have the entry level Rebel XS and have a couple of lenses now that I am pretty happy with and dont see myself buying any new lenses for a while (sigma 10-20mm + tokina fisheye + kit lens + tamron 18-200mm).

Say I have some money to spend, would it be worth selling the XS and upgrading to a preowned body say worth up to 600-700 bucks?

I presume as the XS is going for like 400 bucks I could sell it for 200+?

The only reason I would upgrade, add another lens and camera if my current set is limiting me.
If you are OK and don't feel any limitations, why spend money for something you don't need?

What do you want more? I purchased a 60D recently, not because there was anything wrong with my 30D but because I wanted something "new" to play with. I also wanted some of the newer features like a swivel screen and video. My 30D did, and still does a great job, in theory it is still just as good as my 60D or any other SLR on the market but sometimes having a new camera can be fun and exciting.

Buying new lenses can also be fun and exciting though too but if there isnt anything on the market that you want/need then why spend the money?

I say grab a 600d body. Its in your price range, gives you more features than your XS, and you will enjoy it. Its just a hobby which means these are toys. Why not get one and just be happy?!
In fact, if you sell your XS, the 60d will easily be in your price range, and that would be an even better upgrade!

This is a hobby for you, so this money you spend should be money you've already set aside or saved up, so reward yourself!

After buying my wife the T1i and then discovering for myself how much fun photography was as a hobby, I went ahead and bought the 60D for me. Why not buy another T1i or perhaps the T3i?

I took the advice of many here and went to the store and held several different bodies to decide what felt right in my hands. 60D has features that I thought might be fun, but not necessarily a “must have”, the video, swivel screen…ect… If you have the spare cash and want a new body go get one…if you are happy with the body you currently have and feel the need to blow more cash, go buy some new glass…

Important for what, exactly?

If you are after image quality, I think you might find that a really good tripod, and religious use of it, will do more to improve the quality of your lenses and body than anything else you might purchase.

Good Glass.

Ash

Ordinarily I am in favor of glass over bodies. But honestly I think the minor cost of upgrading from an xs to anything newer and fuller featured is worth it. XS fans will disagree with me, but the XS is largely a dumbed down XTI with a tiny buffer and mediocre focusing system. Sell the XS and move into a newer rebel, even used, for a small upgrade cost.

In order.

1. Money
2. Glass
3. Body

Thanks all ... gonzogolf kind of read my mind on the XS upgrade.

If a different body allows me to take better quality pictures, that is one reason (liveview/other options, another). My question is, how big of a difference is the picture quality considering my budget (for example the T3i vs the XS model)?

Good tripod comment - am about to buy one (trying to find a good portable one).

The XS is really 'simple' but it is all my budget allowed.

I see a T3i is $700 or I could probably get a better pre-owned one for the same price I imagine.

I wish I could be more helpful about the IQ difference between the t3i and the xs, but havent used the newer rebel that much. My primary complaints about the xs were not IQ related, but about controls that I found limiting when I used one. Whether you see any significant IQ improvement may come down to technique and whether you use the newer body at higher ISO's. It may be that you wont notice a huge IQ bump from one to another.

Good glass.

I vote for Glass too.

You need to gain more experience, then buy whatever you need, be it body, glass, flash, tripod or a filter. You need experience to determine what you need.

good glass, this "body" thing is pretty much dead. we can hook good glass up to our IPhones now.