DPI and image quality in programs like Windows Photo Viewer

I'll keep this as short as possible. About 6 years ago I bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-F28 digital camera (not DSLR). It claims 10 MP. After that my daughter bought a Canon Rebel (don;t know the model) which has 12 MP. I would compare her pics with mine by looking at them in Windows Photo Viewer. Hers always looked a lot fuzzier than mine. Especially true if you zoomed in. And I gave her a hard time, saying she had bought a knock off.
I just purcahsed a Rebel T5i with the usual kit 18/55 lens. I took a picture with both the new and the old camera. Guess what? Given the same subject with the same lighting, the Panasonic still produces much clearer pictures in Windows Photo Viewer than the Canon. The only difference I see is that the Canon states the DPI as 72 and the Panasonic as 180. OF course, the Canon image has a lot more pixels.
I know that DPI matters only when a picture is printed. But is it possible that the DPI property in the image file is telling Windows Photo Viewer how to present the image? I hope so. Otherwise I lucked out with my Panasonic and got the best camera in the world, or a Canon is not so great after all.
Do I need to apologize to my daughter? See attached images.
These images are opened in MS Paint and cropped to bring out the eye and hair detail.
Panasonic Image
Canon Image

You comparison method is seriously flawed. For 1 image to be at 72 DPI (a software supplied setting) & the other to be at 180 DPI it means that one image has been enlarged (180 divided by 72) 2.5 times more than the other to view it on screen. Zoom in on the good image until it's 2.5 times larger & see how it looks.
Next thing you need to know is that camera technique becomes more important as pixel count increases. an 18 Mpixel image will have an 80% increase in softness over the 10 Mpixel camera from identical camera shake. To make any accurate form of comparison you will need to eleminate the possibility of introducing camera shake into the test. You will also need very similar lighting & the subject must also be stationary for all test shots. (IE that eye (or the person it's attached to) may have moved during one shot but not the othern
"A skill is developed through constant practice with a passion to improve, not bought."

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