The SLX incorporated electronic autoexposure and motorized film transport, competing directly with the integrated-motor Hasselblad 500EL/M and effectively displacing the earlier Rolleiflex SL66 line, although the older camera continued to be produced.

After the introduction of the all-mechanical SL66 in 1966, Rollei began designing a successor which would incorporate electronics to enable contemporary features from small-format photography, including autoexposure and motorized film transport.

Like the Rolleiflex TLR, SL66, and the Hasselblad SLR, the SLX uses 120 or 220 rollfilm to produce frames of up to 6×6 cm (nominal); the actual image size is based on imperial units, measuring 2+1⁄4×2+1⁄4 in (57×57 mm).

[3]: 516 Compared to the SL66, the SLX adds shutter-priority autoexposure capability and drops the manual crank for motorized film advance and shutter charging.

[4] The opposite side of the camera has a strap lug, hotshoe, and a slot to accommodate the rechargeable NiCd battery; advertised stamina is 1000 exposures per charge.

[4] As standard equipment, the SLX comes with a folding waist-level finder with a built-in magnifier and a ground glass focusing screen with a central split-image rangefinder spot surrounded by a microprism collar, grid lines etched at regular intervals, and an integrated Fresnel lens.

[4] Other available viewfinders include: The screen could be changed to one of several alternatives, which are shared with the SL66:[3]: 524 Rollei offered the ME-1 multi-exposure control unit for the SLX; it allows the photographer to record up to ten images on a single frame, at a selectable interval between 0.1 and 1.5 seconds.