Camera on the Fritz...or the Photographer? Or what...?

I've noticed my pictures is not living up to my "exalted" standards. Is that because the camera is acting up or because the photographer is confused on the settings?  Or is it something else...like the dust and vapor in the air?

The images are grainy for some reason no matter what I do. Maybe because the camera had a slight mishap in the car?  I hope not. This is an ultra zoom camera and I've always relied on the zoom feature but something is screwy.   I adjust film speed and other settings. Maybe I'm expecting too much.  I even tried taking pictures of some doves bathing in my pond but they were terrible...at close range.

 

sunset storm

The mountain is about eight miles away and it's raining there as the sun goes down behind me. There is a lot of stuff in the air between me and the mountain so it should be grainy but even the satellite dish looks grainy on the building.

 

 

Rainbows are hard to shoot anyway.

 

 

 

 

Maybe I'm expecting too much. Sandia Mountain above and Ortiz Mountains below.

 

 

Extreme zoom - Snow on the Sangre de Cristo Mountains above Santa Fe -- about 60 miles away...more or less.    I'm thinking dust and vapor in the air is a big part of the problem...we have had 55 mph wind gusts and some rain this past week.

 

 

same image in black and white

 

Oh well...  I've only been here about 60 days so I'm still trying to figure out the climate and best conditions for photography. Pictures of about two or three weeks ago were fine.

I'm always looking east but this is toward the west and the Jemez Mountains.  It is a little dryer and maybe a little clearer.