New body or New lens?

so i just found out my GF wants to buy me a new lens for Xmas, but has no idea what to get, so i started looking, and ive always wanted a macro style lens, just for like partys and close shots. I have also always wanted to upgrade to a better body, right now i have the cannon rebel XT. Now my question is, should i get a lens, or upgrade the body first? I live in canada, and either looking to spend $100-300 on a lens, or around $500 on a body, new or used. I dont use my camera as much as i would like, but when i do i like to go a little trigger happy

What is your current equipment list?

I would upgrade the XT. I just upgraded my XT to a d90. Assuming you have the XT and kit lens. If you upgrade the body, that old kit lens won't be enough for lets say a 60D. For parties you could always get the 50mm f/1.8 for $99

i had a feeling you guys would ask, i need the body to work with what i have so far, so i have the kit lens, a sigma 70-300mm 1:4-5.6, and the speedlite 430ex, so far looking, in my price range only seems to be the XSI or the 20D

also i was thinking of the 50mm, but never used a lens like that before, without the option to zoom in and out.

I would get more lenses and learn to use primes

it looks like you have very little to spend, you'll be better off going with a good 3rd party glass like the Tamron 17-50 or a 40D body, it's really hard to decide based on the information provided but either way you'll do just fine....

the 50mm f/1.8 will do just fine but not sure if you're for a prime lens, you'll get the best picture from a prime but I much prefer a good 3rd party zoom over an expensive prime. the 50 1.8 is a no brainier, very inexpensive, can't go wrong with that but you really don't mention much, so is hard to recommend anything.

50 mm has zoom... ( your 2 feet)

50 f1.8 as well. Yeah, you can't zoom for composition, but you'll be able to use a faster shutter speed and all of the other benefits of the f1.8. Keeping in mind that you'll have to bump the aperture to maintain DOF in a group setting.

yea im sorry i dont give to much info, just not sure what information to post, im no pro, just like to take some pics from time to time. My gf and I like to go to our friends partys and would be nice to have a nice lens to use, would also use it for many other photos, outdoor, sports, people shots. I guess i dont really know what im looking for. I have always wanted to upgrade my camera to a better one. The 40D seems to be out of my price range right now. Not sure if the xsi or 20D is even a step up. or maybe its just me not using my camera to its full potential, im ok at using manual mode and shooting, but my pictures never come out like ive seen peoples on here without editing.

Gurry wrote in post #11284415
yea im sorry i dont give to much info, just not sure what information to post, im no pro, just like to take some pics from time to time. My gf and I like to go to our friends partys and would be nice to have a nice lens to use, would also use it for many other photos, outdoor, sports, people shots. I guess i dont really know what im looking for. I have always wanted to upgrade my camera to a better one. The 40D seems to be out of my price range right now. Not sure if the xsi or 20D is even a step up. or maybe its just me not using my camera to its full potential, im ok at using manual mode and shooting, but my pictures never come out like ive seen peoples on here without editing.

If you really look hard, you can find the 40D for about $500 (body only), and the best lens out there would be either the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 or the 17-50mm f/2.8 for about that price range. you have primes such as the 50 f/1.8 or the 85 f/1.8 among a few others. Because you now mention a little more I would recommend looking into a "do-it-all" lens like the Tamron 18-270mm, the Sigma 18-250 or the Canon 18-200mm. This way you can use your lens for everything without having to swap but you do sacrifice IQ a little. My 1st choice would be the Tamron then the Canon, with such wide range you might be able to accomplish all you want to achieve with just one lens.

switching lens's doesn't bother me at all, and i already have a zoom lens, so im only really looking for a better lens then my Kit, something that can take closer shots. But ill also look around for a 40D body, other then the 40D what else would you guys recommend body wise?

T1i

The Sigma 17 -50 f2.8 would be good for the shorter distance shots. I am not as happy with the 50 1.8 as others seem to be. I did own one for a few years, but did not find it to be as good as my Canon 17-55 2.8 IS. I know, not a fair comparison, but I did not use the 1.8, much. I did not find the 1.8 to be as sharp as some feel it is and found the zooms much more convenient even befor I got the 17-55. The good performance of the Higher ISOs kind of take care of light needs, not the shallow depth of field you can get from 1.8, but 2.8 is still pretty good.

im finding the 40D body only for around $600-750, also found the 1D mark II for $800...