How to argue my point about this camera?

I asked my parents to buy me an slr camera this Christmas. I wanted either the Canon 1100D or the Nikon D5100, however, my father wants to buy me a Samsung.
I know that Samsung does not produce top notch slr camera's, but I don't know how to argue this to my father and convince him the the Nikon or Canon will be worth every cent.

To the best of my knowledge they produce NO slr cameras but just the mirrorless things. So you're looking at a limited lens selection and a sluggish and power hungry electronic viewfinder.

Dad found a deal on the Samsung, probably several hundred dollars cheaper than either of the bodies you mention.

So, do you know if Dad actually has the cash to purchase what you want, or are you being unrealistic? Us Dad types don't get out children what they want because we're mean (usually), but because the children don't completely understand things like mortgages and car payments and the electric bill and putting food on the table… What is left after all that buys Christmas presents. If all Dad has is enough to buy the Samsung, you need to find a way to compromise with him.

You could lower your expectations a notch and ask for the D3100/T3, which will save a couple hundred dollars right off the top, or possibly wait for your birthday to get the camera you want. That would give Dad a chance to save a few more bucks. Either of those cameras is perfectly capable of taking excellent photos and video, they are perfectly good cameras in their own right.

Samsung makes the NX10, which is a DSLR-style camera; not a true DSLR as it has an electronic viewfinder, not an optical one.

It does have a APS-C sized sensor and interchangeable lenses, but I think reliability and performance is going to be the two issues you want to be sure of.

Lenses are going to be the big issue. There have been 64 million lenses made since 1959 that will fit the Nikon, and many more 3rd party lenses. You are only going to find a few Samsung lenses, and are not going to find hardly any 3rd party lenses made for the Samsung, if at all.

They are just not really a player in the DSLR market. In five years, no one will even know about Samsung DSLR-like cameras. In that regard, I see it as a waste of money to buy anything but Canon or Nikon, as those two brands are all but guaranteed to be there in the future. Sony might as well, but it is hard to say about any of the others.

Here is a good webpage about the health of the various camera makers:

http://bythom.com/2011predictions.htm

It's only attribute of the Samsung is that it is cheaper than the Nikon or Canon. But like anything else, you get what you pay for. And always buying the cheapest is not always the best.

I find that the best thing to do to ensure you get what you want is to buy it yourself.

Perhaps you can convince your father you want the other camera, and if he would give you the money in cash that he would spend on the Samsung, and that you will save it and work for the rest of the money and buy the camera when you have enough. That would instill the notion of commitment and responsibility to your father on your part.

Maybe lower your sights to the D3100 and offer to pay something towards it if money is tight.

or just be grateful that you're getting a camera at all - some people aren't so lucky.