Personaly, I feel Maya to be the more free/faster organic feeling 3d package with less " blocking workflows whick 3dsmax and modo share eg. going in and out of a poly object adding modifiers etc…
Having been grounded and created specificaly for VFX and Animation and 3d characters rather than CAD style modeling and architectural precision, I feel Maya is less inhibitive and more artist friendly with a practical layout based on common workflows. Its “gui” less work flow using the hot box and contextual menus ( cntrl right click, shift right click) to be significantly faster to model esp with the repeat last tool or command hotkeys.
Most people say there is more modeling tools in 3dsmax which is not entirely true . Maya has a few more ( including the nurbs to poly workflows, paintfx to poly workflows etc…)
The new Unfold uv algorithim is faster and produces a better result than pelt in 3ds
visual support for multi uv patches/tiles is better.
In fact the new uv window is much more evolved with fantastic visual feedback ,options and control. ( and you dont need a modifier to see or edit uv’s)
I find its layout tools far more intuitive , having the power of a great level design tool.
In large to small production is where Maya shines over 3ds , with its ease of customization and “box” like api.
Most importantly I prefer to have a complete package at my disposal and not rely on plugins like you have to with 3ds , with fur / hair ( xgen / maya hair) cloth and Nparticles (a huge leap away from 3ds maxsparticles), maya fliuds and bifrost.
Animation retargeting , fbik, rigging and skinning tools are all superior to 3ds . The only thing has is the cat rig ( but thats a closed framework system that not recomended for anything other than smaller contained workflows.
3ds is fantastic package for the beginner to freelancer with great resources available out there but you may hit a roof one day. Saying that so much great work has been produced with it ( 3ds ) , similar to Maya.
But if you learn Maya , you will inevitably be working in a more exposed “true” 3d workflow, less push button prefigured approach like in 3dsmax where you learn the software more than real “3d”.
I have been and art director in both film and games and a practising digital artist for over 15 years now, before that a fine artist (sculpture painting). I have also been teaching both programs ( since 2006). We currently teach only 3ds for beginners only and architectural classes and then jump into Maya for the Advanced levels in film/vfx animation and games.
In the end people say its not the tools its the artist.
But in the professional world, the best artists ( like a tradesman) use the best tools for the Job.