Advanced video conferencing systems and methods

The present disclosure generally provides for advanced single camera video conferencing systems and methods related thereto. The advanced single camera video conferencing system features a hybrid optical/digital camera, herein a camera device, having a controller that is configured to execute one or more of the methods set forth herein. In one embodiment, a method includes optically framing a first portion of a video conferencing environment to provide an actual field-of-view, digitally framing a second portion of the video conferencing environment to provide an apparent field-of-view that is encompassed within the actual field-of-view, generating a video stream of the apparent field-of-view, surveying the actual field-of-view to generate survey data, and detecting changes in the survey data over time. The method may be performed using a single camera device using a single image sensor.