Multispectral image capture (i.e, more than three channels) facilitates both more accurate tristimulus estimation and possibilities for spectral reconstruction of each scene pixel. A seven-channel camera was assembled using approximately 50 nm bandwidth interference filters, manufactured by Melles Griot, in conjunction with a Kodak Professional DCS 200m digital camera. Multichannel images were recorded for the Macbeth ColorChecker chart as an illustrative example. Three methods of spectral reconstruction were evaluated: spline interpolation, modified-discrete-sine-transformation (MDST) interpolation, and an approach based on principal-component analysis (PCA). The spectral reconstruction accuracy was quantified both spectrally and by computing CIELAB coordinates for a single illuminant and observer. The PCA-based technique resulted in the best estimated spectral-reflectance-factor functions. These results were compared with a least-squares colorimetric model that does not include the spectral-reconstruction step. This direct mapping resulted in similar colorimetric performance to the PCA method. The multispectral camera had marked improvement compared with traditional three-channel devices.