To Upgrade or not to upgrade

[Matblack]

I probably don't need to upgrade my camera but it is starting to get a bit long in the tooth the main things which I find frustrating are the size of the LCD display and the size of the camera without a grip.

Right now if things go as I suspect they might (see thread about PC World in Computing) I have a voucher for ~£300 to spend at PC World, Dixons or Currys, I've traded in an old mobile phone for £55 which is spare money and I could probably get £70 for my old camera and £30 for the battery grip, this gives a fighting fund of £455.

I'll say right now that there is nothing I want or need at PC World, Dixons or Currys, and I won't be able to get the voucher changed in to cash.

The only thing that I would buy is a new camera, based on my calculations a new 450d body would cost me an additional £40 on top of my fund and a new 40d would be an extra £145 both of which are affordable. If I buy the 450d I'll probably need to get a battery grip straight away as the camera is the same size as my 300d without the grip which is too small for my hands, the 40d I could live without the grip certainly for a while, (the grip for the 450d is ~£100+)

So what would people do?

For people who have had the **d series and upgraded to the *0d series is the build quality improvement worth the extra cost?

I've invested in a monitor so I can edit my photos properly and I'm really enjoying using the current camera so I think an upgrade is worth my while its more a case of deciding which one to go for

MB