Pentax ME Super with the 50mm kit lens.

By automatic, do you mean auto-exposure or auto-focus?

Pentax P3n (Black) or P30t (gray).  Has full manual operation, plus program
mode, aperture-preferred automatic exposure and auto flash exposure when
used with Pentax dedicated flash units.  Seiko electronic shutter.  Standard
lens is the SMC Pentax 50mm f/2, and there are f1.7 and f/1.4 lenses also
available.  The f/1.7 is reputed to be the sharpest normal lens that Pentax
ever made!

Most of these cameras were bought by amateurs and they had very little use.
I picked up a total of 4 of them on eBay, and all of them were in virtually
mint condition.  Camera body alone goes for $60.  With lens, $100.

I'd stay away from auctions where the lens is a kit zoom, as they are slow
and do not have the optical quality of the normal prime lenses.  The 50mm
f/2.0 normal lens is in plentiful supply on many of these bodies, and will
yield excellent results, with Pentax's legendary multicoating to limit
flare.  Best bang for the buck, in my opinion.  I use them as my "walkabout"
cameras.

Have her go to a dealer in used cameras (used film cameras last longer than
used digital cameras,  and I don't think there is any debate on that point),
and ask about entry level SLRs, with autofocus (or autoexposure, or both,
depending on what you meant) and chit chat with them about it. I assume she
is seeking a 35mm camera.  Dont' really need Medium format, if she is just
beginning.   She has many selections from Minolta, Pentax, Nikon, and Canon,
to choose from. She should do this, and put the cameras in her hands,
because a lot depends on ergonomics, which vary from person to person,  just
like sitting in the driver's seat of a car.     Depending on what type of
photography she is getting into,  she might ask about flash units, as well.
She could probably get started, easily, for under $300, maybe $200,
depending on her needs.   If they don't come with a manual,  she can
probably find the manual for it on Ebay.  In most books stores, there are
plenty of starter books for budding SLR photographers, read read read.  Good
luck.

I started with a Canon Elan with a 28-105 and a Sunpack 433 TTL flash,  got
it all for about $350. It fits your description, it's auto everything, which
can be, except for the flash, put in manual mode.  To learn flash
photography,  I would recommend not a TTL flash, but an auto flash (such as
the Sunpack 433 with adjustable F/stops, so it's a deceiving name,  since
you actually adjust it manually, the TTL version is fully automatic, which
is easier, but you don't learn photography as well with it).

Thaddeus

I would look for a Pentax starting with an "M". ME, MX , MV , ME Super,etc.
And make sure you get Pentax lenses with that. Can't beat "em.
Bob Hickey