A multi-spectral camera is provided which includes an image pickup optical system which forms an image of a subject. A wavelength selecting device receives light beams from the image pickup optical system and outputs a light beam having a selected wavelength. A wavelength switching device selectively switches the selected wavelength of the wavelength selecting device. An image pickup element receives the light beam output from the wavelength selecting device and outputs image data. A spectroscope receives the light beams from the image pickup optical system and outputs spectral data. And a subject characteristic calculating unit calculates a spectral data characteristic of the subject from the spectral data output from the spectroscope.