That is how it is supposed to work. You have to use the object model within the loop instead:
http://www.zenphoto.org/news/zenphotos-object-model-framework
Quick example to get the title of a subalbum within the loop:
$subalbs = $_zp_current_album->getAlbums(); foreach($subalbs as $subalb) { $obj = newAlbum($subalb); echo $obj->getTitle()." "; }
This of course gets only the next sublevel.