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Brad
Unfortunately imaging and visual use are to a large extent imcompatible. That said there are ways to combine the 2 in one scope setup, but you will inevitably make compromises.
Of the 3 scopes you have mentioned the fist one is most likely to do the trick...BUT. it will have limitations.
Firstly visual use. Most obsevers these days tend to use dobsonions, simply because with visual use, aperture is the single factor enabling you to see more. Go to a star party and the majority of visual observers are using dobs. An 8" newt on a HEQ5 mount can be used very sccuesfully for visual but the compromise is that you are sacrificing aperture for the convenience of GOTO and tracking. Also you will finf that the eyepiece will end up in all sorts of odd positions that can make observing difficult.
The 12" dob is great for visual, low cost, plenty of aperture, very easy to setup, doesn't need power and can be fitted with ARGO if you are not into starhopping. For a little more a full go and tracking one can be bought also.
The 6SE Nexstar is a competant scope with good tracking and go to BUT the compromise again is sacrificing aperture for tracking. DSOs will be considerably dimmer than in an 12" or even an 8".
Now for Imaging use. Only the first scope is going to give you much. With the 12" dob it is possible to take some short exposure images of the moon and palnets but that is about it. No tracking and no equatorial mount make this completely unsuitable for long exposures. The 6SE also is not equatorially mounts so even though it tracks it will not be useful for long exposures.
The 8" will be possibly OK, and I would prefer to leave it to more knowledgeable imagers to give advice, but I suspect that this scope would be pushing the limits with that mount weight wise. With imaging the mount is usually more important than the scope, good tracking, being able to handle the weight etc determine succes far more than the scope.
If it was me, I would get the 12" and enjoy some visual observing while doing more research and saving $$$ ( you will need a fair amount of those!!) to move into imaging. In the meantime try doing thimgs like startrails or timelapses with existing photography gear to see if it grabs you.
Malcolm
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