Without using an editing program, is there some way to feed a full screen image from the camera on the computer? I need to see a separate video feed from the camera while shooting and I thought a laptop could possibly be used for as a monitor.
No. You can't use the software solution that you mention to help you in your problem. However, you can use the Software Informer's database, in order to find a program that is compatible with your camera and have the functionality that you are looking for. There are plenty of programs that can help you. Depending on the camera that you plan on using, I suggest you have a look at ManyCam.