Where I work there are basically two types of meeting, one for mass participation (> 10 people) when a few are speaking and most are listening, and one for small team discussion, which tend to be focussed on screen sharing one or more person's screen. Neither of those need a camera.
When meetings are 1-1, or maybe < 5, then they make sense, but I don't really feel the need for them otherwise.
My team had a discussion about that at a previous job.
I also don't find cameras necessary, but me and some other people I know find that long 1-1 meetings with the camera turned off feels like a prolonged phone call, which is extremely tiring for people who also dislike long phone calls.
Short camera-less meetings with quick, focused, telephone-like discussions are perfectly fine, of course. But if one of the parties has to keep going into a computer type a bunch of stuff in-between all the time, it suddenly feels like I'm trying to cancel my cable or newspaper subscription.
It's better to have notes and do it later, or at lest share the screen, rather than only using 5 minutes out of 30 for actual talking.
I found that some people who use Discord audio chats are used to having calls like that, but I'd check with the other person if they're ok before.
For me it's not seeing a face but also having my face seen. It's basically a kind of raised attentiveness.
But generally virtual meetings are easy but that doesn't mean they are cheap. Where in person meetings were hard you knew they were expensive and had a kind of built in value of worth. Virtual meetings are easier but the costs are more hidden.
Well, the problem for me specifically is the "hurry up and wait" feeling.
If the person operating a computer is doing stuff related to the meeting, time seem normal for them. But the person waiting has to remain focused to answer follow-up questions, so multitasking might not be a possibility.
Seeing a face helps in my experience, but I have no idea why. However, screen sharing is probably better. Or just not having long interruptions.
Ah, if it's that kind of 1-1, screen sharing definitely helps.
My 1-1's are almost always to discuss or troubleshooting something, so not much "downtime" at all. When troubleshooting, screen sharing is almost always used, otherwise I probably don't need the other person at all.
When meetings are 1-1, or maybe < 5, then they make sense, but I don't really feel the need for them otherwise.