One factor to consider: the 8-inch has a 1.5-inch light path, limited by the size of the hole in the mirror. The 10-inch, as shipped from Meade, has a 1.5-inch opening where the focuser attaches, but a third-party upgrade (the “Eye Opener II”) is reasonably inexpensive and gives you a 2-inch light path. That gives slightly less vignetting on photos. I use the 10-inch myself. I’m fairly new to astrophotography, but so far I like my choice. In any case, I do a lot of my photography through an f/6 80mm refractor piggybacked on the main scope. This gives a field of view wide enough to photograph the Andromeda galaxy, North America nebula, and other extended objects that just don’t fit into an 8- or 10-inch scope’s field of view. Also, the learning curve is much easier, since tracking doesn’t have to be so precise. I do use the 10-inch for photography, but my skill level is just now reaching the level at which I can do so.
Also, don’t forget that for visual work, the 10-inch has 50% greater brightness for any given magnification.