Looks like I'll be sticking to my smaller, lighter, full-frame, Minolta Hi-Matic G2 (they also made a GF, with a built-in flash).
(1982) This is an updated version of the Hi-matic G. It has the same 38mm zone-focusing lens with f-stops from f2.8 to f22 with four-elements in three groups. Close focusing to 3.3 feet. The lens has four focusing icons -- with click-stops for easy operation -- but also has distances markings for feet and meters. The lens has a 46mm filter thread and a behind the filter CDS meter. The change from the Hi-matic G is that the body of the G2 is even smaller and lighter -- and it only came in black. The CDS meter has an EV range from 9 - 17 and controls the exposure with a programmed auto-exposure system setting the aperture and shutter speed from 1/60 at f2.8 to 1/250 at f22. Film speeds of 25-400. X synch at all speeds. Takes a 675 battery. It's the smallest full-frame, manual focus camera made by Minolta, but still a quality shooter. The camera is very small -- just a little bigger than the Repo half-frame models -- and very light (just 10 ounces), but without a cheap feel to it. With a tiny Vivitar 50 hot-shoe flash (a perfect fit), the G2 makes a very tiny package. However, the G2 is missing a couple of things that would be nice. It has a tripod socket, but it lacks a B setting and a cable release connection. So no long exposures with this guy. In addition, it also lacks a battery ON/OFF switch, so a lens cap or camera case is important for battery longevity. Unfortunately, it uses a 1.35 volt 675 battery, but appears to be relatively accurate with a 1.5 volt 675 battery. One nice thing about the camera is that it operates fine without the battery. Normally the meter sets the shutter speed (from 1/60 to 1/250) and f-stop (from f2.8 to f22) in a programmed auto-exposure mode, but without the battery, the shutter defaults to 1/60. The f-stop can be set from f2.8 to f11 by adjusting the GN dial. That's a nice touch because you can always take pictures. The GN lens is not like the GN lenses I have seen. With the G2 the aperture is set -- and fixed -- when you dial in the GN of the flash -- and is intended to expose a subject at 10 feet away. The exposure will be OK from about 7 feet to 17 feet, but the f-stop does not vary as the lens is focused -- like all of the GN lenses I have seen. The G2 GN approach works, and allows you to set the f-stop manually, but it has its limitations. The G2 uses a trap-needle system. That allows you to meter one part of the scene, press the shutter release partially (which traps the needle), and then expose a different scene. It operates like the AE lock on SLR cameras, but is not mentioned in the owner's manual. So even though the camera lacks manual exposure settings, you can control the exposure fairly easily. First, you can use the trap needle method. Second, you can also take the camera off of AUTO and use the GN numbers (without a flash). This fixes the shutter speed to 1/60, and by changing the GN numbers, you can select the f-stops from f2.8 to f11. Not bad for a "cheap" camera. I look at it like a baby brother to the 7SII. Sure, it lacks the f1.7 lens and the rangefinder focusing, but it has most of the other features -- in a tiny, lightweight, all black package.