Wave Modifier Physics ::Edit:: 
Thank you, respondents. 

I now have the desired z-transforming camera, the second part of my question is: I would like a sphere to be able to roll on top of the wavy plane due to the wave motion of the plane.
I can't seem to get the sphere object to make contact with the wavy plane during animation. The ball should rise and fall with the wave, and also roll due to gravity when the wave is vertical under the ball. I have it close, but the ball is going through the wavy plane.


Please visit http://gph.is/2EpCrto for a better gif picture. 
The ball's y-transform is locked because it kept going off the side. The plane's and ball's rigid body source includes all modifiers via "final" mode. There is no collision modifier yet applied to the ball. 

The Blender Docs mention something that could be of help: "The changing collision shape is available also with Change Shape button in the Physics tab of the Tool Shelf."
https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/dev/physics/rigid_body/properties.html#rigid-body

Thank you.

Answered - ::I would like to modify a mesh, either a plane or cube, to have a wave modifier. I would like an object to rest on the surface of this wavy plane and receive forces from it. Basically, I want the object to transform its Z-location value (Z axis is up) based on the waves of the plane. I do not wish to use the Ocean modifier.

So far, I've had minimal success; the wave-riding object seems to accept vertical forces from the waves but it's awkward, unrealistic, and just not right. What's the right way to have a stick-mounted camera move up and down with the waves? 

Thank you.::
This technique is not a physics based simulation, it is just a fake approximation but might yield what you are after.



Just add a single faced small planar object above your "wave surface" object.

Add a Shrink Wrap modifier to it and set it to Project mode. Make sure you tick the Negative option if necessary.



This will make your object stick to the waving surface. Now just parent whatever object your want to this plane and use Duplifaces from the Properties Window > Object Tab > Duplication > Faces to duplicate it at the face center.