Methods and systems for implementing and utilizing radiometric characterization in combination with reference material characterization of an optical sensor to more accurately and efficiently measure material properties are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method for for optically measuring material properties includes an optical sensor being radiometrically characterized based on measured optical responses. A model is generated and includes model components of the optical sensor. A parameterized model is generated by fitting n variable parameters of the model components using the optical responses. The optical sensor is utilized to measure an optical response to a reference material and a re-parameterized model is generated by re-fitting m of the n variable parameters of the model components based, at least in part, on the measured optical response to the reference material, wherein m is less than n.