Hi Michael,
1. You know, I don't think that is something you can do in insights currently, certainly is something to request though. You can do this in dashboards, have the list filter as you zoom a map, find what you are looking for, have a link from the dashboard to the insights page, set up a predefined filter or two... You can sync multiple maps so as you zoom one the other also zooms, but insights is driven by selection, so if you select in any card be it a table, chart, map, if cross filters are on it will zoom for those map cards. If you have a predefined filter set up and select in the filter it will zoom to whatever is selected in the filter, and table cards will show only what the filter has selected.
2. Turn off the cross filter for the map. It only zooms when cross filter is on.
I hope you don't decide not to use insights. It is a very powerful analytical tool, I have been using it for almost two years now and still feel like I have so much to learn.
Regards,
Laura Becht