...Basically I'm just looking for something reliable and decently priced. She doesn't have any experience with manual photography so that's why I think it at the very least needs a meter. I doubt she'd mind having a manual focus camera - she used both of my cameras and seemed to like them just fine.
...So basically what do you guys think would be a very decent beginner's camera with room to grow?...
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Hello,
Now if it were TRUE LOVE, you'd get her a 'blad.
Seriously though, any of the cameras mentioned will be good for her. I mentioned the XG-se in particular because she is, as you said a "girl" and might want something pretty. The XGse is basically an XG1, but a very pretty (IMO), black bodied one.
I owned an N80 and don't recommend it for any serious use, but it was a good enough camera for my wife to use when she wanted something less "serious" than my F4e. The upside to the N80 is that you used to be able to get the F80 (Euro model?) in pink and other colors. She might enjoy that. If she's like my wife and is interested mainly because you are, the F3, A1, etc., are probably "too much" camera for her. She probably just wants to enjoy the things you enjoy because you do - and that means getting her something easy and enjoyable. If she catches on, then look into something more serious. Either Nikon or Minolta have lots of room to grow.
If she really likes TLRs, the Yashica 124G has a meter on it. It's not TTL, but the one I used in the 80's was accurate though. Shooting it gave me a headache though - never got used to the mirror image thing.
Good luck and let us know what you end up deciding.