System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving depth estimates for monocular images using a neural camera model that is independent of a camera type. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a monocular image from a pair of training images derived from a monocular video. The method includes generating, using a ray surface network, a ray surface that approximates an image character of the monocular image as produced by a camera having the camera type. The method includes creating a synthesized image according to at least the ray surface and a depth map associated with the monocular image.