To generate a reference database for a particular sensor in a multiple LED spectrophotometric system with a reduced number of test measurements taken from training samples, a first set of reflectance reference measurements are generated from a test target on to a reference sensor from a plurality of different LED emissions. A first spectral reconstruction reference matrix is computed by performing an operational characterization of the reference sensor from the first set of reflectance reference measurements. A second set of reflectance reference measurements from the test target is generated from a second subject sensor whose operation is to be personalized by the objective reference database. The second set of reflectance reference measurements are less in number than the first set. A second reconstruction matrix is computed by performing an operational characterization of the subject sensor from the second set of measurements. The second reconstruction matrix is adjusted by relating the second set of reflectance measurements to a set of corresponding reflectance measurements of the reference sensor, whereby the adjusting of the second matrix comprises computing an optimal solution spectral reconstruction matrix for the second sensor. The reference database is generated from the optimal solution spectral reconstruction matrix.