I got both the D3 and the D300 for those jobs that need it, and I can say they are both proving to be fantastic cameras so far. You can't go wrong with either, IMHO - the D3 of course has the bonus of having amazing low ISO capabilities, but the D300 is no slouch either - especially compared to the M8

and it's very good up to 1600.
Good luck with your choice!
