I have great respect for Schneider generally, but feel they've been startlingly lazy when it comes to 35mm optics. While Zeiss designs new lenses for scratch, Schneider in every case repurposes a medium format design. Usually an older one. Unfortunately they have to dig through their attic for designs with sufficiently strong retrofocus to work on a 35mm slr. These are usually lower performing lenses.
The exception so far is their 90mm pc-ts. It's long enough that it needs no retrofocus, so they're able to use a very simple, but still state-of-the art medium format design. This lens is as good as anything.
I exchanged some emails about the 28mm pc-ts with technicians at Schneider. I wanted to find out if the lens was just a repurposing of the 28mm f4.5 lens for Mamiya, which seemed to be a middling performer. I was told that the PC-TS was indeed based on this lens, but that it was being recalculated by Hildegard Ebesmeyer for "an improved performance." Whatever that means. At any rate, I had sort of high hopes, considering that Ms. Ebesmeyer was credited with designing the 110mm Super Symmar XL that everyone flips out over.
But only sort-of high hopes, since I don't have $8000+ plus to replace my current shift lens.
At any rate, even without reading L.C.'s review, the lens seems like a bummer. I really wish Schneider would stop phoning in these half-ass designs for 35mm. It would be good for everyone if Zeiss had some serious competition. We know from the medium format world that Schneider is more than up to the task when they put their minds to it.