multiple iPhoto '09 problems

slides disappear, import zooms image, timing off:

This is the first time I've used this version to create a slide show. My earlier version worked without a hitch. Here's what's happening... When I went back to a slide to adjust its transition rate, it disappeared. So I reimported it from the slide folder. It imported zoomed in. I checked the slider and it was not on zoom. I checked the original, not zoomed. I did it again, same thing happened.

Besides that the duration after the first slide was much, much faster than what I input. I increased the time, no change.

So annoying. This is beyond buggy.

Anyone have suggestions to fix this or should I just buy slideshow software? If so, is there one where you can control the audio the way you can with movie software? In my last slideshow I had to export from iPhoto to iMovie. It would be nice not to have to change softwares midstream.